Canada and South Korea have signed a new defence agreement, roughly a month after Prime Minister Mark Carney urged middle powers to band together in the face of “great power” economic coercion.

Following negotiations that concluded in October, the two countries signed a deal Wednesday related to the exchange and protection of classified military and defence information.

In October, Ottawa said the agreement would be a legal basis to improve collaboration on everything from defence procurement and industrial security to research.

At the meeting Wednesday, the countries also agreed to updating their strategic partnership to reflect current geopolitical realities and begin negotiations on a defence cooperation agreement, including a legal framework for the cooperation of the countries’ military forces.