(LEAD) S. Korean, Dutch foreign ministers discuss cooperation on chips, nuclear energy

(ATTN: UPDATES with S. Korean minister's meeting with Dutch PM, forum speech from 5th para; ADDS photos)

SEOUL, Feb. 17 (Yonhap) -- The top diplomats of South Korea and the Netherlands had their inaugural "strategic dialogue" on bilateral cooperation in a follow-up to a summit deal in November last year, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday.

Foreign Minister Park Jin had the meeting with his Dutch counterpart, Wopke Hoekstra, in The Hague on Thursday (local time). They discussed such issues as promoting the strategic partnership of the two nations and strengthening cooperation in the fields of semiconductors and nuclear plants, according to the ministry.

The ministers also took note of the successful co-hosting in the Dutch city of the Summit on Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Military Domain (REAIM) earlier this week, it added.

It was held as part of measures to implement the accord signed by President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Mark Rutte during their summit talks in Seoul on Nov. 23, 2022.

Delivering a speech at the closing ceremony of the ministerial forum, Park stressed the importance of preventing AI from being misused for military purposes.

"This is important, in particular, for South Korea, which is facing a real threat of North Korea's weapons of mass destruction program, including nuclear and missile threats.

Park and Hoekstra, meanwhile, had discussions on South Korea's bid to host the World Expo in its southeastern city of Busan in 2030 and regional security as well.

Park also paid a courtesy call on the Dutch prime minister, as he became Seoul's first foreign minister to make an official visit to the Netherlands in eight years.

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