Issue Sector-specific Korea-EU cooperation in batteries, semiconductors, defence and critical minerals

Summary

The report argues that industrial cooperation should move beyond simple exports toward local production, joint research and supply-chain links in sectors where the two sides are clearly complementary. In electric vehicles and batteries, Korea's manufacturing strength can be combined with Europe's market and regulatory base, extending cell production in Europe into materials, components and recycling and deepening technical talks on battery passports, carbon footprints and traceability. In semiconductors, the focus is joint research on advanced packaging, heterogeneous integration and neuromorphic computing, participation in pilot lines, staff exchanges and cooperation on supply-chain crises. In defence, the shift should be from finished-product exports to local production, joint development, maintenance and training, taking account of SAFE participation conditions and local-content rules that matter more as EU preferences tighten. In critical minerals, cooperation should go beyond securing supply to joint projects in third countries, long-term offtake contracts, policy finance, refining and processing, recycling and traceability and certification.