Defense Minister Suh Wook held phone talks with his British counterpart Ben Wallace on Wednesday to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation and exchanges, the defense ministry said.

Suh congratulated Britain on its recent agreement with the European Union for cooperation in future relations, the ministry said in a press release.

Suh added that Seoul hopes to continue bilateral cooperation even after Brexit, pointing out that Britain participated in the 1950-53 Korean War and maintains traditionally friendly relations with South Korea.

"Defense Secretary Wallace said Britain is seeking various ways to expand cooperation with Asian countries, including South Korea, in preparation for the post-Brexit era," the ministry said.

Suh and Wallace highly evaluated the two countries' ongoing efforts to maintain defense cooperation amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it added.

They also agreed to hold defense officials' talks between the two countries during multilateral conferences in the near future and to push ahead with a working-level British delegation's visit to Seoul in the first half of the year. (Yonhap)