President Lee Jae Myung’s first trip to Europe showed how distant wars are moving South Korea and the European Union closer to strategic alignment. Russia’s war in Ukraine, backed by North Korean support for Moscow, has underscored the growing link between European and Indo-Pacific security; conflict in the Middle East has exposed both sides to energy shocks, supply chain disruptions and widening security threats. Together, those risks are pushing Seoul and its EU partners to view security throu