The Royal Navy will work alongside its South Korean counterparts on joint sea patrols to prevent North Korean smuggling operations in the Indo-Pacific region.
A new deal, which will be signed by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday, will reinforce the stances of both nations in their use of sea patrols against North Korea who the UK says is using smugglers to bypass international sanctions and potentially support the development of its nuclear weapons programme.
A “significant” amount of the smuggling takes place in the East China Sea, where Royal Navy ships have previously deployed and captured evidence of this activity, the Ministry of Defence said.
The signing of the agreement will strengthen the Royal Navy’s presence in the Indo-Pacific. Two Royal Navy vessels, HMS Spey and HMS Tamar, are already permanently deployed to the region.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: “The UK is leading the way in supporting our Korean friends in countering North Korea’s aggressive posturing and ensuring the safety and security of the Indo-Pacific.
“Deepening the ties between the Royal Navy and Republic of Korea Navy, our bilateral defence relationship has never been stronger.”
The Downing Street Accord follows similar agreements with Singapore and Japan, coming as the UK seeks to consolidate influence in the Indo-Pacific.
The agreement will support closer relations between the Royal Navy and South Korean Navy during future cooperation to counter this activity, and will support the security of the Indo-Pacific region.
Sea patrols carried out by the Royal Navy have been instrumental in preventing illegal activities, including smuggling, from going unchallenged in the region.
The announcement of the agreement comes as South Korean President Mr Yoon and his wife make a three-day state visit to the UK.
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