Brussels is preparing for a high-stakes EU-South Korea Summit on Wednesday, where President Lee Jae Myung will meet European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The agenda goes far beyond cultural diplomacy—though the soft power of K-pop, skincare, and cinema will be on display. Lee’s visit comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping wraps up a two-day trip to Pyongyang, a move widely seen as Beijing’s attempt to counterbalance Moscow’s growing influence over North Korea. (Read more on Xi’s Pyongyang visit.)
The summit is framed around four pillars: prosperity and the economy, security and defence, sustainable development, and people-to-people ties. But with the United States scaling back its military commitments in Europe, leaving a reported €500 billion defence shortfall, the security dimension is expected to dominate.
Seoul’s Military Muscle
South Korea is already a top-10 global arms exporter, and from 2020 to 2024 it ranked as the second-largest supplier of weapons to NATO members. The country plans to raise defence spending to 8.2% of GDP by 2026. Poland has been the biggest European buyer, accounting for 46% of South Korea’s defence exports in 2024, with purchases including K2 Black Panther tanks, FA-50 fighter jets, and artillery systems. The EU and South Korea signed a security and defence partnership late last year, and this summit is expected to deepen those ties.
President Lee, who leads a nation technically still at war with its northern neighbour, has stressed the need for self-reliant security. “The times of peaceful coexistence are over,” he has said, reflecting a hardening stance as the 250-kilometre border and Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) remain heavily fortified.
Cultural Diplomacy and BTS
Lee is not blind to the power of pop. In a statement on social media platform X, he noted that BTS, the chart-topping boy band, will hold its first standalone concert in Belgium early next month. “I believe it will further deepen the bonds between the younger generations of our two countries,” he wrote. The official welcome is set for 2pm, with a press conference at 4:40pm.
The summit also comes amid trade spats and shifting alliances. Lee described his first trip to Europe as occurring during a time of “overlapping global crises,” but expressed hope for “cooperation.”
Sanctions and the Kremlin
Separately, the European Commission has proposed a 21st package of sanctions against Russia. Key elements include a delay in reviewing the oil price cap until January 2027—to avoid granting Moscow economic relief amid soaring oil prices linked to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz—and a ban on Russian soldiers involved in the invasion of Ukraine from entering the Schengen Area. Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, is also included, a move made possible by the change of government in Hungary. Notably absent is a ban on alumina, despite revelations about business links between Aughinish Alumina in western Ireland and Russia. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged the Irish government to clarify whether its alumina sales help build the ballistics and drones that strike Ukraine. “No European products should end up in drones and missiles that kill Ukrainian civilians,” she said. (Related: Ukrainian drones hit oil facilities in southern Russia.)
Kushner’s Albania Project Under Fire
In other news, the European Commission has warned Albania over a €1.4 billion luxury tourism project linked to Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law. The development, planned on an ecologically protected area home to pink flamingos, has sparked two weeks of protests. A Commission spokesperson urged Albanian authorities to “act without delay” to avoid jeopardising the country’s EU accession bid, which requires alignment with the bloc’s environmental rules.
As Europe navigates a shifting geopolitical landscape, the South Korean summit underscores a broader trend: middle powers are stepping up to fill gaps left by traditional allies. Whether through K-pop or K2 tanks, Seoul is making its presence felt.
