What did Chung Eui-hae and the British lawmakers agree to do at international forums?

They agreed to strengthen coordination at international forums, including the Group of 20. Their discussions also covered regional developments involving the Korean Peninsula, Ukraine and the Strait of Hormuz.

What did Alicia Kearns say about a South Korea-UK free trade agreement and parliamentary cooperation?

Kearns expressed hope that an improved free trade agreement between Seoul and London would be signed soon. She also pledged to work for cooperation with South Korea in the British Parliament.

What did Chung Eui-hae identify as areas for deeper South Korea-UK ties?

Chung expressed hope for deeper bilateral ties in the economy, defense and supply chains, among other sectors. He said stronger cooperation was needed amid growing global uncertainties.

Deputy FM meets British lawmakers for talks on N. Korea, Ukraine

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Summary

Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Eui-hae met a delegation of British lawmakers in Seoul the previous day to discuss bilateral relations and regional issues. The six-member delegation was led by Alicia Kearns and included two members of the House of Lords. The sides discussed the Korean Peninsula, Ukraine and the Strait of Hormuz, and agreed to strengthen coordination at international forums such as the G20. Kearns expressed hope for an improved free trade agreement and pledged to work for cooperation with South Korea in the British Parliament.

Key Facts

The House of Lords members in the delegation were Godfrey Bewicke-Copley and Tessa Blackstone.
Kearns wished a speedy recovery for South Korean soldiers injured in a September land mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone.
Chung called for stronger bilateral cooperation amid global uncertainties and expressed hope for deeper ties in the economy, defense and supply chains.
Three South Korean soldiers were injured in the explosion, two of them seriously; North Korea denied the allegation that its mines caused it.

By Yonhap

Published Nov 6, 2026 8:44 am KST

Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Eui-hae, fifth from left, poses for a photo with a delegation of British lawmakers ahead of their meeting in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Chung Eui-hae's office

Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Eui-hae has met with a delegation of British lawmakers to discuss bilateral relations and major regional issues, including the Korean Peninsula and the war in Ukraine, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday.

Chung met with a six-member delegation, led by Alicia Kearns of the House of Commons and including two members of the House of Lords, Godfrey Bewicke-Copley and Tessa Blackstone, in Seoul the previous day, according to the ministry.

The two sides exchanged views on regional developments, including the Korean Peninsula, Ukraine and the Strait of Hormuz, and agreed to strengthen coordination at international forums, such as the Group of 20 (G20).

Kearns wished a speedy recovery for South Korean soldiers injured in September's land mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) while expressing hope that an improved free trade agreement between Seoul and London would be signed soon, the ministry said.

The lawmaker also pledged to work for cooperation with South Korea in the British Parliament.

Chung stressed the need for stronger bilateral cooperation amid growing global uncertainties, and expressed hope for deeper ties in the economy, defense and supply chains, among other sectors, the ministry said.

In September, three South Korean soldiers were injured, two of them seriously, in a land mine explosion in the DMZ caused by mines laid by North Korea, an allegation Pyongyang has denied.

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