Manila: Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has reached agreements with his European Union counterpart to bolster cooperation in security, defense, and economic affairs, while committing to closer coordination with Britain on global challenges during separate discussions in Manila, as announced by Seoul's foreign ministry on Friday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Cho engaged in discussions with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas and British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband on the sidelines of a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-related ministerial meetings in the Philippine capital on Thursday. These discussions focused on follow-up measures to agreements made at their summit last month, including negotiations for a security information agreement and a digital trade agreement.

Both Cho and Kallas agreed to implement these initiatives swiftly and to further strengthen cooperation across security, defense, trade, and other strategic sectors. In a separate dialogue with Miliband, Cho extended congratulations to Britain's new government and to Miliband for his recent appointment. Miliband acknowledged the importance of bilateral relations and expressed hope for continued close communication with Cho to enhance these ties further. He also welcomed Britain's entry into the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), emphasizing the need for expanded cooperation through multilateral platforms.

Throughout both meetings, Cho and his counterparts exchanged perspectives on key global issues, such as the situations in the Middle East and Ukraine. They concurred on the necessity of maintaining close communication and collaboration to tackle common challenges in the face of a rapidly evolving global security landscape, as per the ministry's statement.