Pagrindinis puslapis

Welcome from the Chair

Welcome to the website of the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with the Korean Peninsula (DKOR), which was founded 'only' in 2004.

The European Union and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) have strong economic and political ties, as witnessed by the EU's recognition of the Republic of Korea as one of its few strategic partners in Asia. The EU-South Korea Free Trade Agreement was not only the first of the EU's "new generation" trade agreements, but also the first one submitted to the European Parliament for its consent. One purpose of the DKOR delegation's most recent visit to Seoul in 2015 was therefore to make a first assessment of the agreement's impact.

The DKOR delegation also oversees relations with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK - North Korea). Since its foundation, a core aim of DKOR has been to keep a channel of communication with North Korea open; until 2013 DKOR therefore regularly visited Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea.

Against the background of rising tensions, the regular DKOR meetings in Brussels or in Strasbourg have in the more recent past focused on the security situation surrounding the Korean peninsula: DKOR has invited the representatives of those countries that are party to the "Six-Party Talks" in order to, first, better understand each party's position and red lines, and, second, see whether there is room for negotiations conducive to a de-escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula.

I am sure that the work of DKOR is significant in its contribution to the stability of the Korean Peninsula. In this way, it also contributes to furthering the foreign policy of the European Union.

Nirj Deva