South Korea and the European Union: evolving cooperation and competition

Uk Heo; Terence Roehrig

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511998355.007

7 - South Korea and the European Union: evolving cooperation and competition

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 July 2014

Uk Heo and

Terence Roehrig

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Uk Heo: Affiliation:
University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Terence Roehrig: Affiliation:
United States Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island

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Summary

The relationship between South Korea and Europe had been limited until the 1990s. To Europeans, South Korea was merely a poor country in East Asia. With scarce natural resources and underdeveloped industries, South Korea did not have much to offer and European countries did not see the need to expand their relations with South Korea. As a result, in the 1960s South Korea’s trade with Europe was only about 5 percent of its total trade volume and political contact between them was minimal.

However, economic development in South Korea along with fast growth of the other Asian tigers, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore, changed Europe’s view of East Asia. As South Korea became an economic powerhouse in Asia, economic exchanges between South Korea and Europe gradually increased. Political contact between South Korea and Europe also began to increase in the 1980s. For example, in 1983, a ministerial meeting between South Korea’s Foreign Minister and the European Community (EC) Executive Committee was held for the first time. Since then, the two sides have met annually ever since the European Union (EU) was created.

Information

Type: Chapter
Information: South Korea's Rise
Economic Development, Power, and Foreign Relations
, pp. 110 - 127

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511998355.007 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2014

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