S. Korea, Poland discuss expanding defense, energy, infra cooperation

SEOUL, Nov. 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Poland have discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in defense, energy, batteries and infrastructure, as the two countries seek to build on agreements reached at their leaders' summit in April, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday.

The seventh round of their joint economic committee took place in Warsaw on Tuesday (local time), co-chaired by Park Jong-han, deputy minister for economic affairs, and Michal Baranowski, Poland's deputy minister of economic development and technology, according to the ministry.

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed progress in implementing agreements reached at the summit between President Lee Jae Myung and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in April and discussed ways to expand cooperation across key sectors.

Park and Baranowski agreed to explore ways to expand defense cooperation, building on Poland's purchases of South Korean K2 tanks, K9 howitzers and Chunmoo rocket launchers.

They also discussed cooperation in battery and energy supply chains, infrastructure projects, including a new airport link, and such advanced technologies as space and digital technology.

The two sides also agreed to establish a high-level government channel to promote stable trade, investment and supply chains, the ministry said.

Separately, Park met with Ignacy Niemczycki, Poland's deputy foreign minister for European Union and economic affairs, and called for Warsaw's support to ensure that South Korea is not excluded from local-content requirements under the bloc's proposed Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), which seeks to boost the bloc's industrial competitiveness.