Merz in South Korea: Armament and AI Take Center Stage

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Merz in South Korea: Armament and AI Take Center Stage.

On Thursday, concrete results were achieved: Germany and South Korea have decided to elevate their bilateral relationship to the level of a “deepened strategic partnership”. That sounds big, but is made concrete by the context tied to it: The joint declaration identifies areas of cooperation ranging from artificial intelligence to the defense sector.

For you, that means: Merz’ third stop on his Asia trip is more than a general exchange of views with Seoul. Germany and South Korea want to build partnerships that bring together defense, industry, research and security.

Merz and Lee Raise Relations to a New Level

The meeting in Seoul

German Chancellor Merz met South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Seoul on Thursday. It was the third stop of his Asia trip after Singapore and Japan.

“More than ever, we need a strong network of partners who share important interests and common values,” Merz said after the talks. The network should become closer in security, economic and geopolitical terms. Specifically, he announced in Seoul that Germany and South Korea would elevate their relationship to the level of a deepened strategic partnership.

The political framework is therefore set. The joint declaration names the areas in which Berlin and Seoul want to work more closely together: from AI to defense. However, the report does not cite any financial volumes, an implementation date or the companies involved.

Defense Moves from Discussion to a Possible Joint Venture

Lee cites joint ventures and joint developments

President Lee explicitly favored defense cooperation between the two countries. He pointed to the strong interest shown by South Korean defense companies in long-term partnerships with Germany, including in the form of joint ventures and joint developments.

This gives the defense issue a tangible industrial framework. However, the report does not name any specific company. It also remains unclear whether an agreement was already signed at the meeting or which projects are to be implemented with which budgets.

Classified information protection for military secrets

Germany and South Korea also wanted to agree on a classified information agreement for military secrets. This would create an administrative framework for the planned expansion of their security relationship. The source does not say how quickly the agreement will be concluded or what information it will specifically cover.

From AI to Semiconductors: Seven Areas of Closer Partnership

Industry and research

Merz elaborated on the economic focus of the visit. Germany and South Korea want to expand cooperation on automobiles, batteries and semiconductors. In the field of research and innovation, he cited AI, quantum technology, biotechnology and space.

AI is therefore not the only technology field. The declaration and Merz’ statements combine industry with research. Nevertheless, the political core remains the deepening of the strategic partnership: Economic cooperation is explicitly linked in Seoul to security, geopolitics and common values.

Merz’ Security Argument: “Korea’s Security Affects Europe’s Security”

Russia, North Korea and the war in Ukraine

Merz said in Seoul: “Korea’s security affects Europe’s security, and Europe’s security also affects Korea’s security.” He cited the war in Ukraine as the reason. North Korean soldiers fought alongside Russia in the Donbas against Ukraine; in return, Moscow supplied weapons to North Korea.

Merz thanked Lee for South Korea’s continued willingness to support Ukraine. He also pointed to tensions between Kyiv and Seoul: The Ukrainian leadership had announced the transfer of captured North Korean soldiers to South Korea.

The security relationship is therefore not abstract. It touches on the war in Ukraine, South Korea’s support for Ukraine and the question of how to deal with North Korean soldiers who fought on the Ukrainian side.

What Has Already Been Agreed — and the Questions That Remain Open

Agreed

• Merz is elevating relations with South Korea to the level of a deepened strategic partnership.
• A joint declaration identifies cooperation from AI to the defense sector.
• Lee cites joint ventures and joint developments with German defense companies.
• A classified information agreement for military secrets is to be agreed.
• Economic and scientific cooperation encompasses automobiles, batteries, semiconductors, AI, quantum technology, biotechnology and space.

Still open

The available information contains no names of defense companies or programs, no financial volumes and no timetable for implementation. No date is given for the signing of the classified information agreement either.

This is also the strongest argument against the political significance of the visit: The report describes a broad program and several possible forms of cooperation, but no implemented projects yet. How robust the partnership will become will therefore be demonstrated through concrete agreements, participants and timetables.

On Friday, Merz is continuing his South Korea visit with a trip to the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. The original report by Handelsblatt thus describes a visit whose security-policy scope extends beyond the meeting in Seoul.