EU and South Korea Sign Digital Trade Agreement, Deepen Strategic Partnership
On June 10, 2026, the 11th EU-South Korea Summit was held in Brussels, attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. During the summit, the two sides formally signed a historic Digital Trade Agreement, marking the EU‘s first standalone bilateral digital trade agreement with any Asian country.
EUROPEAN UNION,ECONOMY
Global N Press
6/10/20261 min read
On June 10, 2026, the 11th EU-South Korea Summit was held in Brussels, attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. During the summit, the two sides formally signed a historic Digital Trade Agreement, marking the EU‘s first standalone bilateral digital trade agreement with any Asian country. The agreement sets ambitious rules for digital trade covering key areas including data flows, digital services, electronic certification, consumer protection, and artificial intelligence governance.
According to statistics, total EU-South Korea goods trade exceeded €124 billion in 2025, making South Korea the EU’s eighth-largest trading partner, with semiconductors among Korea‘s main exports to Europe. Von der Leyen stated after the summit that the partnership between the EU and South Korea has never been more important, and that both sides are working together to strengthen economic security and drive innovation. Costa noted that they have strengthened their strategic partnership and deepened cooperation beyond traditional trade boundaries.
Beyond the Digital Trade Agreement, the summit also launched a new Partnership for Competitiveness to coordinate cooperation on strategic issues including trade, investment, supply chains, advanced technologies, and energy, as well as a High-Level Economic Dialogue forum dedicated to deepening cooperation on economic security, industrial policy, and trade. The two sides also agreed to expand cooperation in security and defense, energy, research and innovation. The summit outcomes mark the EU‘s accelerated implementation of its Indo-Pacific strategy and deepening digital trade ties with a major Asian economy.
