South Korean national security adviser Wi Sung-lac has met with the secretary general of NATO and agreed to establish a consultative body on defense industry cooperation between South Korea and NATO. 

Wi, who is visiting the Netherlands to attend the NATO summit on behalf of President Lee Jae Myung, met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in The Hague on Wednesday. 

The South Korean official delivered a letter to Rutte from Lee expressing the South Korean government’s strong commitment to strengthening the Seoul-NATO partnership. 

The presidential office said Rutte expressed appreciation for South Korea’s commitment to closer ties with NATO and indicated that NATO shares that commitment. 

The two sides agreed to establish a new director-general-level South Korea-NATO defense industry consultation body to discuss specific measures to enhance cooperation in the defense sector. 

They also agreed to promote defense industry cooperation through South Korea’s participation in NATO-led multinational projects, with the aim of strengthening the alliance’s next-generation military capabilities.