On an official visit to South Korea, Romania’s Defence Minister Vasile Dincu had a meeting on Friday with his Korean counterpart Lee Jong-Sup mainly on the development of defence co-operation between the two countries, according to Agerpres.

According to a press statement released by the Romanian Defence Ministry (MApN) on Friday the two ministers signed a letter of intent that provides the milestones for concluding a framework defence co-operation agreement.

Another subject addressed during the meeting was international security, with emphasis on security challenges in the Black Sea region and Asia-Pacific. The two officials also discussed the latest developments in and prospects for strengthening co-operation inside international organisations, a framework ensured by the status of Korea as a global partner of NATO.

Dincu highlighted the importance of the participation, for the first time, of partners from the Asia-Pacific region at a NATO summit and emphasised the relevance of the decision adopted in Madrid regarding the consolidation of political dialogue and practical co-operation with established NATO partners from the region, including South Korea, for the promotion of security through co-operation and support for the rules-based international order.

On a bilateral level, Dincu and Lee Jong-Sup agreed to intensify co-operation in the field of military education, cyber-defence and joint training. The possibility of in-depth co-operation for the development of new technologies, including the transfer of know-how, was also analysed, taking into account the possibility of the production of military equipment in Romania, according to MApN.

At the end of the discussions, the two officials agreed on the continuation of their dialogue in order to expand the existing legislative framework, which would ensure the prerequisites for strengthening bilateral defence co-operation.

During the official visit to South Korea, Dincu also met on Friday Korea’s Minister of the Defence Acquisition Programme Eom Dong-hwan, and Chairman of the Commission for National Defence Lee Hunseung.

In his conversations with the two high-ranking South Korean dignitaries, the mutual interest in the development of co-operation in the field of defence industry between Romania and South Korea was highlighted, building on the existing potential, as well as the importance of know-how transfer and supply security, as defining defence elements in the current strategic context.

According to MApN, Dincu invited Korean defence companies to run in competitions for the future army acquisition programmes of Romania, taking into account the use of NATO standards by the South Korean defence industry and the experience in running acquisition programmes similar to other NATO member states.

During the discussions, the opportunity offered by deepening co-operation in cutting-edge technologies, including emerging and disruptive ones, was highlighted. Industrial co-operation was mentioned as a key aspect of the development of mutual trust, considering the opportunities offered by a constantly evolving market for military equipment amid unprecedented security challenges to democratic European countries.

Agerpres