South Korea and Britain have inaugurated a new high-level dialogue platform to collaborate on various economic and financial matters. The Ministry of Economy and Finance of South Korea announced this development on Sunday.
The first bilateral economic and financial dialogue meeting took place in London on Thursday. Attendees included South Korean Deputy Finance Minister Choi Ji-young and Lindsey Whyte, the Director General of Britain’s HM Treasury, a step in the countries’ efforts to deepen their economic relations.
The dialogue included various topics of cooperation in economic and financial areas, as agreed during a summit between South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in November 2023.
During the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on the global and domestic economic situation, discussing strategies to improve collaboration on supply chains and economic security. Topics such as multilateral economic cooperation and responses to climate change were also highlighted. A key issue on the agenda was Europe’s newly implemented carbon tax under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, which both parties explored in detail.
In addition, Deputy Minister Choi used the opportunity to engage with key British investors, encouraging them to increase their investments in South Korea. He outlined the country’s current financial situation, available investment incentives, and the various foreign currency bonds that could interest international investors.
The discussions between South Korea and Britain come as both nations look to bolster their economic partnerships amidst growing global economic challenges. As part of these efforts, the two countries are expected to further strengthen multilateral cooperation, particularly in the context of G20 nations and potential reforms of multilateral development banks.
Additionally, the dialogue touched upon the British government’s economic policy direction following the recent shift in political leadership. The officials explored ways to align their approaches to global economic challenges, emphasizing the importance of maintaining strong communication channels and advancing shared interests on the international stage.