Ambassador Ugo Astuto has served as the European Union Ambassador to the Republic of Korea since September 2025. A career diplomat, he joined the Italian Diplomatic Service in 1991 and has extensive experience in multilateral diplomacy and Asian affairs. He has served at the Italian Embassies in Nairobi, London, and New Delhi, as well as at Italy’s Permanent Representation to the European Union in Brussels. He later served as Director for Asia at the European External Action Service (EEAS). Before taking up his post in Seoul, he served as the EU Ambassador to India and Bhutan from 2019 to 2023.
The partnership between the Republic of Korea and the European Union has continued to deepen across a wide range of fields. In your view, what achievement best represents the current Korea-EU relationship, and in which areas should the partnership develop further?
The EU-Republic of Korea strategic partnership is growing fast. As we face an extremely volatile world situation, it is crucial that likeminded partners come together, based on their shared values as liberal democracies and converging interests as advanced economies. We both strongly believe in multilateralism and a co-operative approach to international relations.
We need to work together in addressing world challenges, such as climate change or the green and digital transition. The roll out of AI for instance needs to be framed in a way consistent with the values and expectations of our democratic societies. Korea and the EU can achieve much together in research and innovation, by focusing on their respective comparative advantages. The Horizon Europe programme is meant to do precisely that.
We must accelerate the green transition, staying on course with our commitment to implement our Nationally Determined Contributions to keep the 1.5 degrees target of the Paris Agreement within reach, transitioning away from fossil fuels.
In all these fields, the EU-Republic of Korea Summit that took place on 10 June in Brussels delivered quite a few notable takeaways. For example, the signature of the Digital Trade Agreement, the creation of an EU-Korea Competitiveness Partnership, or the new High Level Economic Dialogue, and the new Dialogue on Energy. These tools will help us in addressing emerging topical issues of mutual interest, such as economic security and the security of supply chains.
At a time of increasing uncertainty in the international order, what roles can the Republic of Korea and European countries play together in promoting peace, security, democracy, and a rules-based international order?
Our regions share the same interest in upholding the rules-based system of international governance and respect for the UN Charter. Our futures are inter-dependent. In a shifting geopolitical landscape, the EU is strengthening partnerships with Indo-Pacific countries that face similar challenges and share common values and goals.
It is important to note that security Europe and in the Indo Pacific are interconnected, as we see the illegal Russian aggression against Ukraine entering now in its fifth year. It remains crucial that the international community comes together to condemn the Russian aggression and to isolate Moscow. The military nexus between Russia and North Korea continues to develop. We do not know exactly what North Korea is getting in return for its support to the Russian aggression, including in terms of military technology. But it has clearly increased the risk of further illegal proliferation..
The 11th EU-Republic of Korea Summit held in June 2026 marked a new stage in the Strategic Partnership, including the launch of a Competitiveness Partnership and a High-Level Economic Dialogue. What concrete outcomes should the two sides prioritize to ensure that these new frameworks produce visible benefits for citizens and businesses?
At the summit in Brussels Leaders injected further momentum in our strategic partnership. The creation of the new Competitiveness Partnership and High-Level Economic Dialogue are particularly significant in this respect.
They will strengthen engagement on issues of strategic importance such as trade, industrial policies, economic security and the resilience of supply chains. They will allow us to cooperate better to foster the most advanced sectors of our economy, those that will shape the future of our societies.
We are living at a moment when economic coercion is becoming normalized, including for elements that are essential in the most advanced sectors of the economy. Likeminded countries need to come together and create a space for reliable, trusted trade and partnerships.
The EU-Republic of Korea Free Trade Agreement, the newly signed Digital Trade Agreement, and growing cooperation on supply chains and advanced technologies have broadened the economic relationship. How can the EU and the Republic of Korea work together to strengthen economic security while preserving open, fair, and rules-based trade?
The EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement was the first of its kind to be signed in Asia in 2011. It has delivered massively in terms of trade growth. Since then, it has been complemented by the Digital Partnership, finalized in 2022 and the Green Partnership, in 2023 to address the challenges and opportunities emerging from the Green and Digital transition.
The Digital Trade Agreement (DTA) sets high standards for digital trade rules. These include for instance recognising the legal validity and enforceability of electronic contracts and enabling the use of electronic signature. It will bring new opportunities for consumers and business, notably for micro, small and medium enterprises. The DTA will also enhance consumer safety and confidence in the digital economy through robust online protection rules. A trusted digital environment is essential for digital trade to function and prosper.
The Digital Trade Agreement demonstrates the shared commitment to promote open, transparent and rules-based trade. It is also in line with the EU’s broader commitment to establishing future-oriented digital trade rules with trusted like-minded partners at a time of increasing global tensions and economic fragmentation.
In these uncertain times, the world wants to trade more with predictable and rules-based partners like the EU and Korea. Open markets and reliable value chains make all our economies stronger.
Korea and the EU believe that the international community has been well served by a trade system based on rules and fairness. As these rules and the necessity of a level playing field are being questioned, likeminded countries are looking for trusted partnerships. As evidence of that, look at how the FTA agreement network established by the EU has extended worldwide: with the recent additions of India and Mercosur, it covers now almost 50% of world GDP. Countries want to trade on equal terms with reliable partners: the EU and Korea are such partners.
The Republic of Korea became the first Asian country associated with Horizon Europe, while Erasmus+ and the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions offer additional channels for academic mobility. How can universities, research institutes, companies, and young researchers make fuller use of these opportunities?
The Republic of Korea’s association to Horizon Europe Pillar II in 2025 – as the first Asian country – has marked an important milestone in the EU-Korea cooperation in research and innovation. This association facilitates Korea’s access to the largest transnational R&D fund in the world. It enables Korean researchers and institutions to participate in Horizon Europe Work Programmes on an equal footing with researchers from EU Member States. Korean universities, research institutes, and companies are already actively making use of this opportunity by building strategic partnerships with European counterparts and participating in collaborative projects in areas of mutual interest.
Beyond Pillar II, other parts of Horizon Europe also provide valuable opportunities for Korean researchers and innovators. The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), offer excellent opportunities for researchers to develop international careers, gain experience in European research environments, and build long-term networks. Korean researchers and institutions can use these connections as a foundation for deeper research collaboration. The European Innovation Council and other innovation-oriented instruments also provide opportunities for Korean startups, SMEs, and deep-tech companies to connect with the European innovation ecosystems and explore joint technology development and market opportunities.
Erasmus+ is another important channel for strengthening people-to-people links between Korea and Europe. Through student exchanges, academic cooperation, and institutional partnerships, Korean universities and students can gain valuable international experience and establish lasting connections with European counterparts. By promoting greater participation in Erasmus+ alongside Horizon Europe, we can foster the next generation of researchers, innovators, and global leaders who will continue to strengthen the EU–Korea partnership.
Interviews conducted via email by Hayann Lee (Deputy Director, HUFS Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence)