emirates7 - South Korea and the European Union agreed Friday to form a strategic economic partnership to expand bilateral ties in trade and economic security amid heightened global uncertainties, Seoul's trade ministry said.

The agreement was made during the inaugural Korea-EU next-generation strategic dialogue held in Seoul to help the two sides explore deeper cooperation in trade, supply chains and technology, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources. The meeting was attended by South Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo and the EU's commissioner for trade and economic security, Maros Sefcovic, the Korea Herald reported.

The ministry said the Korea-EU strategic economic partnership will serve as a cooperation framework between the two economies, noting the two sides will discuss the details of the new framework in the future.

The meeting discussed cooperation in critical minerals, as both Korea and the EU have limited mineral production infrastructure, and agreed to bolster communications on the issue amid ongoing global supply chain disruptions.

The ministry said South Korea and the EU also held their 13th free trade agreement committee meeting Friday and confirmed their final draft of a bilateral digital trade agreement, aimed at expanding their cooperation in the digital economy.