S. Korea, UK to initiate 2+2 talks, boost defense ties

Top diplomats of South Korea and the United Kingdom have agreed to launch foreign and defense ministerial "2+2" talks early next year in a bid to strengthen their joint response to regional and global security threats, while pledging further cooperation on co-developing defense capabilities, according to a joint statement released Tuesday.

South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy met for the 9th Korea-UK Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue on Monday in Seoul, where they discussed bilateral cooperation, international collaboration, and regional and global issues, South Korea's Foreign Ministry announced Tuesday.

Cho and Lammy notably “agreed to hold the inaugural ROK-UK Foreign and Defence Ministerial 2+2 Meeting in early 2025, to enhance cooperation in addressing regional and global challenges to peace and security” in the joint statement. The ROK stands for South Korea's official name, the Republic of Korea.

South Korea maintains a 2+2 ministerial-level meeting framework with a select few countries, including its treaty ally, the United States, and Australia.

The joint statement also "welcomed ongoing consultations between the ROK and AUKUS on potential collaboration under Pillar Two."

The AUKUS partners -- the UK, the US and Australia -- are exploring adding partners with unique strengths to Pillar 2, which focuses on advanced capabilities, technology sharing and military interoperability. Pillar 1, meanwhile, supports Australia's acquisition of its first conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine fleet.

Both ministers also "welcomed the increasing cooperation between our respective defense industries and discussed how we can work more closely together to help meet the defense capability needs of our close partners and allies," according to the joint statement.

"Underpinned by the joint defense export memorandum of understanding and optimized by the expanding Defence Partnership, both sides agreed to cooperate further on co-developing capabilities."

Cho and Lammy also issued a separate joint statement, in which they "condemn in the strongest terms the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s continued unlawful arms transfers and the reported deployment of its troops to the Russian Federation to support Russia's unlawful war of aggression in Ukraine." The DPRK is North Korea's official name.

"Such cooperation between Russia and the DPRK is not only in violation of multiple UNSC resolutions, but also prolongs the suffering of the Ukrainian people and threatens global security, including those in the ROK and the UK, and demonstrates the desperation of the DPRK and Russia," the separate statement read.

The separate statement came after South Korea's spy agency claimed Friday that around 1,500 North Korean special forces had arrived in Russia's Far East for adaptation training at local military bases, with a second batch expected to follow soon.

However, the National Intelligence Service did not present solid evidence for the claim, apart from a single satellite image showing Russian ships docked at Chongjin Port in North Korea's North Hamgyong Province.

Ukraine’s Western allies including the US and NATO have not yet verified allegations about North Korean troop deployments; they have stated that they are looking into the situation.

Cho and Lammy said "We are committed to providing the support Ukraine requires to secure a just and lasting peace" in the statement, noting that the security of the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic are "more closely intertwined than ever."

Meanwhile, Lammy delivered remarks on climate, nature and development at Ewha Womans University on Monday, alongside Kim Sang-hyup, co-chair of the Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth.

When asked about the potential impact of Donald Trump’s return on US climate policy, Lammy suggested that despite possible shifts in rhetoric, the policy itself is likely to remain steady due to US-China competition.

"I do think that, once again, the world has moved on since the last time Donald Trump was president of the United States. What do I mean by that? Well, there is now fierce competition between the United States and China," he said, clarifying that he would refrain from commenting on the upcoming US election, pointing to his position as the UK's chief diplomat.

"It means I can't see Donald Trump accepting China's role in producing so much of the world's electric vehicles. I just don't see that. I think he'll want the US to have a big share in that market."

Citing the Inflation Reduction Act -- whose key aim is to reduce inflation through clean energy investments -- Lammy emphasized that many of the subsidies supporting US manufacturing are concentrated in Republican states, signaling continuity regardless of leadership.

"Much of that work will continue. Yes, of course, the rhetoric will be different, as you would expect with Donald Trump, but actually, the action moving in this direction, I think, will largely be the same," Lammy said. "That will, in part, be because of competition issues."