The European Union and South Korea

Offers insights into the state of EU-Korea relations and considers potential lessons for other bilateral and regional initiatives The past decade has witnessed a proliferation of bilateral and regional cooperation in all parts of the world. The EU and South Korea have both been significant players in this trend. In 2010, the EU and South Korea launched a strategic partnership with a view to strengthening their trade, economic and political ties. This partnership is underpinned by a number of important legal instruments, including the EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement and the EU-Korea Framework Agreement. This book analyses the development of EU-Korea relations and the role that these treaties and other agreements play in the development of the strategic partnership. It contains contributions by European and Korean experts in international law and EU law who each examine a particular aspect of the legal framework for EU-Korea relations, analysing the scope and substance of the relevant legal rules, as well as the opportunities and challenges for future cooperation. This edited collection covers a wide range of policy areas, including trade, competition, and investment, as well as cooperation in non-economic areas, such as environmental protection and security policy. The contributors aim to offer insights into the state of EU-Korea relations and provide potential lessons for other bilateral and regional initiatives. James Harrison is a lecturer in international law at the University of Edinburgh. He specialises in international economic law, international environmental law, and international dispute settlement. He is author of Making the Law of the Sea: A Study in the Development of International Law (2011). Cover image: South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy shake hands at the end of a press conference on October 6, 2010 following an EU-Republic of Korea summit at EU headquarters in Brussels (c) AFP/Getty Images.