INTRODUCTION

In 2010, the European Union (EU) and the Republic of Korea launched a strategic partnership, through which they agreed to closer cooperation on a range of matters, spanning trade, investment, sustainable development and international peace and security. This book is concerned with the nature and depth of this cooperation and how the partnership is likely to develop over time. More specifically, it will focus on the proliferation of legal instruments, which has accompanied the strengthening of trade, economic and political relations between the EU and Korea.

Particular attention will be paid to two instruments, which were concluded at the same time as the launch of the strategic partnership in 2010, namely the EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the EU-Korea Framework Agreement. These agreements are the legal foundation of EU-Korea relations, and it is, therefore, necessary to appreciate their scope and substance, in order to understand how they may influence the development of the strategic partnership. To this end, the book will explore the nature of the obligations undertaken by the parties in the FTA and the Framework Agreement, as well as other relevant instruments. It will consider what is required of the parties in order to comply with their commitments, and what questions of interpretation are likely to arise in the application of the FTA and the Framework Agreement, as well as how these might be answered.