On June 15, the South Korean Foreign Ministry announced that Seoul, along with three allied countries in the Indo-Pacific region, has been implementing a strategy to strengthen cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in recent times.
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| Leaders of the Asia-Pacific Partnership (AP4) group of countries, including Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea, attend the NATO Summit in Spain in 2022. (Source: AFP) |
According to a press release issued on June 15, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand have begun specific discussions on the Tailored Partnership Program (ITPP) initiative.
The South Korean Foreign Ministry confirmed that Seoul is in the process of working with NATO on “the wording of the ITPP to reach a conclusion.” However, the country did not disclose further details about the issues discussed in the negotiations.
On NATO's side, the alliance is also looking to expand relations with the four countries - collectively known as the Asia-Pacific partners (AP4).
NATO has affirmed that it will strengthen dialogue and cooperation with Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand - "global partners" to address transcontinental challenges, while "sharing security interests".
“What happens in Asia matters for Europe and what happens in Europe matters for Asia,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said last week. “That is why it is important for NATO allies to strengthen their ties with partners in the Indo-Pacific.”
In addition, NATO will work with AP4 partners to explore cooperation in areas such as cyber security, space, and countering emerging and destabilizing disinformation.
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