British News Agency

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a phone call with President Jaemyung Lee of the Republic of Korea regarding energy ties with South Korea and the impact of regional tensions on the economy.

Highlighting the scale of energy cooperation between the two countries, Luxon said, "Given that South Korea supplies approximately 51 percent of New Zealand’s refined fuel needs, we discussed the urgent necessity of reducing tensions and the importance of stability to maintain the momentum of our economies."

Emphasizing the importance of the diplomatic steps taken last year, Luxon stated, "The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership we announced last year was an extremely timely step."

Luxon added, "It forms the foundation of close cooperation on energy resilience, economic security, and regional stability."