South Korea and Croatia Seek Deeper Energy and Defense Cooperation
National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik met Croatia’s top political leaders in Zagreb to advance bilateral cooperation, highlighting energy, defense and economic ties after a major Chunmoo rocket system export deal.
South Korea and Croatia are seeking to broaden cooperation in energy, defense and other strategic sectors following a series of high-level meetings in Zagreb, according to South Korea’s National Assembly speaker’s office.
National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik met Croatian President Zoran Milanovic, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic during his visit to the country. The discussions took place as Seoul looks to strengthen political and commercial links with European partners while expanding the international reach of its defense industry.
Cho told Milanovic that South Korea and Croatia have maintained friendly and cooperative relations since establishing diplomatic ties in 1992. The relationship was elevated to a comprehensive, future-oriented partnership in 2023, creating a framework for wider engagement between the two countries.
In separate talks with Plenkovic, Cho called for stronger ties across the economy, culture, defense and energy. He pointed to a recent arms agreement as an example of how the partnership is moving into more substantial areas.
South Korean defense manufacturer Hanwha Aerospace signed a contract last month to supply Croatia with 18 Chunmoo multiple launch rocket systems. The agreement was valued at about 640 billion won, or roughly $477 million, and marked the first major arms deal between the two countries.
The sale also opens the possibility of cooperation beyond the delivery of weapons. Potential areas include industrial collaboration and military logistics support, both of which can create longer-term institutional and business ties. Croatia became the fourth European country to acquire the Chunmoo system, after Poland, Estonia and Norway.
The Chunmoo has an operational range of up to 80 kilometers and can carry out precision strikes as well as cluster attacks against targets spread over a wider area. Its growing adoption in Europe has given South Korea a larger role in the continent’s defense procurement landscape.
Cho’s meetings placed the defense contract within a broader diplomatic agenda rather than treating it as an isolated commercial transaction. By pairing defense discussions with energy, economic and cultural cooperation, both sides signaled an interest in building a more diversified relationship.
The Zagreb visit formed part of Cho’s nine-day trip to Italy, Vatican City, Croatia and Greece. The itinerary reflects the National Assembly leadership’s effort to reinforce South Korea’s political ties across Europe while supporting practical cooperation in industries where Korean companies are expanding their presence.