The South Korean and European Union defense chiefs agreed to cooperate on Seoul’s initiative to engage North Korea in talks to dismantle its nuclear weapons program, at a face-to-face meeting in Seoul on Wednesday.

Defense Minister Suh Wook and Gen. Claudio Graziano, chairman of the EU Military Committee, discussed expanding ties to deal with security concerns on the Korean Peninsula and in the surrounding regions. Graziano, who represents the defense chiefs of the 27-member EU, reports to its foreign policy chief.

Graziano said Korea has been a key partner and that he will seek ways to work with Seoul on an Indo-Pacific strategy the EU has yet to reveal. Suh said the bilateral exchanges have multiplied since 2010, when they agreed on a strategic partnership, adding the partnership will play a bigger role.

The two said they have worked well together on maritime and cybersecurity and expect to build on the exchanges to counter fast-changing security threats.

On the sidelines, South Korea’s chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Won In-choul, met with Graziano and discussed bolstering senior-level military exchanges.

By Choi Si-young (siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com)