The Strategic Partnership Between Poland and South Korea

For many years, Poland and South Korea have been building close ties, both in the economic and geopolitical context.

"Thanks to our determination, we were today able to elevate the status of our bilateral relations to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership," Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced, following his meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung.

A key element of the relationship is cooperation in the defence industry.

"The driving force behind Polish-Korean relations is, of course, cooperation between our defence industries, cooperation we wish to continue and strengthen in the direction of technology transfer, the Polonisation of acquired weaponry, and the relocation of part of production to our country," the Prime Minister declared.

Poland and South Korea will jointly strive to rebalance their economic relationship so that both states benefit equally from their cooperation.

"I welcome the prospect of increased access for Polish products to the South Korean market, including exports of our food. We will work on this for the benefit of both our states and peoples," the Polish Prime Minister noted.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung also highlighted the strategic nature of the relationship between Warsaw and Seoul.

"For nearly 37 years, Korea and Poland have been building solid and friendly relations based on cooperation across many fields — political, economic, cultural, and people-to-people. Poland has become one of Korea's five largest trading partners among EU member states," Lee Jae-myung stressed.

Poland's and South Korea's relations are now entering a new phase, more ambitious and grounded in shared economic interests.

Warsaw and Seoul Strengthen Cooperation in Innovative Sectors and Geopolitics

South Korea is the largest Asian investor in Poland. Poland has a strong interest in continuing to attract Korean capital.

"I will personally ensure that the conditions for these investments are optimal. The President and I both agreed that it is well-founded to strengthen strategic cooperation in sectors such as digitalisation, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, space exploration, as well as energy, infrastructure, and transport," the Prime Minister announced.

Both countries will also place great importance on developing cooperation in culture, science, education, and tourism. Poland and South Korea will likewise support each other on the international stage.

"Poland in Europe, and Korea in Asia, we will work together to stabilise the geopolitical situation. We live in times of great upheaval, marked by wars and conflicts. We must build a new international order. Poland and Korea will cooperate to ensure the stability of this new, emerging world," Donald Tusk noted.

During his visit to Seoul, the Polish Prime Minister also met with Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik. He also held talks with representatives of Korean companies and business associations.