STORY
The UK and the Republic of Korea have pledged to accelerate work on an upgraded free trade agreement and expand cooperation across technology, defence industry and clean energy after a Senior Economic Dialogue held in Seoul on 18 August 2025 co-chaired by Second Vice Minister Kim Jina and UK Indo-Pacific minister Catherine West. Officials said five rounds of talks on the enhanced UK–ROK FTA have concluded and both sides aim to finish negotiations by the end of 2025. They also signalled support for a first UK-ROK Investment Dialogue and for enabling a Joint Defence Exports memorandum of understanding to spur defence industrial collaboration.
The communiqué highlights plans to deepen science and technology links in artificial intelligence, quantum, engineering biology and space, with both governments backing their Digital Partnership and the next Digital Partnership Forum. On economic security, London and Seoul will step up work with like-minded partners on resilient supply chains for critical minerals through the Minerals Security Partnership.
Energy transition featured prominently, with agreement to strengthen the UK-ROK Clean Energy Partnership ahead of COP30 and to explore cooperation on nuclear fuel supply chains, including potential UK investment in LEU and HALEU capabilities. Development cooperation will continue under the Strategic Development Partnership, including workshops to align ODA implementation systems by the end of 2025, and both countries discussed the upcoming eighth replenishment of the Global Fund, which the UK will co-host with South Africa.
The two countries also committed to closer coordination in multilateral forums including the G7, G20 and CPTPP, and welcomed proposals to strengthen links between business, parliamentarians and academia through a UK-Korea High Level Forum. They agreed to hold regular Senior Economic Dialogues to track progress and identify new areas for cooperation.