South Korea and the European Union (EU) on Monday agreed to step up cooperation on COVID-19 vaccine supplies, with the EU pledging to smoothly supply vaccines to Seoul.

The agreement was made in a telephone conversation between South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, Seoul's foreign ministry said in a statement.

South Korea and the EU agreed to maintain their partnership in trade, investment, the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, according to the statement.

Borrell also expressed his support for South Korea's efforts for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and improvement of relations with North Korea, the ministry said. (Yonhap)