Polska ulepsza więzi z „najważniejszym sojusznikiem po USA” Koreą Południową

Keep our news free from ads and paywalls by making a donation to support our work!Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.Poland and South Korea have signed an agreement to enhance cooperation on defence, energy, science and infrastructure, bolstering what has become an increasingly important relationship for both countries in recent years. Speaking on a visit to Seoul, Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, described South Korea as his country’s “most important ally after the United States, especially in the defence industry”, report Polish news outlets RMF and Interia. Tusk’s visit to South Korea is the first by a Polish prime minister in 27 years. After leaving Seoul, his delegation, which also includes finance minister Andrzej Domański and agriculture minister Stefan Krajewski, will travel onwards to Japan. Following a meeting between Tusk and Korean President Lee Jae Myung, the two leaders announced that they had“upgraded our bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership”. Tusk said that expanded defence cooperation will be the “driving force”, but the countries would also deepen ties in “digitalisation, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, space exploration, energy, infrastructure, and transport”. Recent data show that, during Poland’s unprecedented defence procurement spree since 2022, South Korea has been the biggest supplier of military hardware, accounting for 47% of imports, just ahead of the United States on 44%. Tusk noted that South Korea is already Asia’s biggest investor in Poland and said that efforts were also being made to “even out the trade balance” by bolstering Polish exports to South Korea. Meanwhile, Lee called Poland “one of Korea’s five most important trade partners among EU countries”, saying that their relationship was based on “deep mutual trust”. He said that firms from his country were keen on participating in key infrastructure projects in Poland, such as a new “mega airport” and transport hub that will be built near Warsaw. South Korea and Poland first signed a strategic partnership in 2013 but their bilateral cooperation has accelerated since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which prompted Poland to boost its defence spending to the highest relative level in NATO. Since then, Poland has signed tens of billions of dollars worth of contracts to buy Korean military hardware, including tanks, self-propelled howitzers, light combat aircraft and rocket artillery launchers. Under those agreements, some elements of that equipment will be produced in Poland itself. Recent years have also seen Polish-Korean relations develop in other areas. Last year, construction commenced in the Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard of a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal ordered by Poland that will eventually be located in the Polish city of Gdańsk. In November, South Korea’s government agency responsible for supporting the creation and distribution of creative content opened an office in Warsaw, which it says will act as a regional hub for promoting Korean cultural products and working with local creators. Meanwhile, South Korean tyre manufacturer Kumho in December confirmed plans to establish a new plant in Poland, which will be its first in Europe. In 2022, Daesang Corporation chose Poland as the location for its first plant in Europe production the Korean delicacy of kimchi.Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.