German President to Officially Visit Next Month from 3rd to 5th... Korea-Germany Summit Meeting on 4th

Presidential Office: "Leaders of Both Countries Discuss Relationship Development and Supply Chains"

Frank-Walter Steinmeier, German Foreign Minister (Photo by Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will make an official visit to Korea from November 3 to 5 and hold a summit meeting with President Yoon Suk-yeol.

Lee Jae-myung, deputy spokesperson of the Presidential Office, announced at a briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the afternoon of the 13th that President Yoon and President Steinmeier are scheduled to hold a summit on November 4.

Deputy Spokesperson Lee explained that during the summit, President Yoon and President Steinmeier will discuss ways to cooperate in economic security fields such as the development of bilateral relations and the establishment of stable supply chains, and exchange views on major regional issues including the Korean Peninsula situation.

Deputy Spokesperson Lee introduced, "This visit marks the first time in four years that a German president visits Korea, and it will be an important opportunity to further expand exchanges and cooperation in various fields ahead of the '140th anniversary of Korea-Germany exchanges' next year."

He also added, "Germany is an ally that shares values such as freedom, human rights, and the rule of law with us, and is the largest trading partner within Europe. Germany is one of the core countries of the European Union (EU) and serves a leading role as the chair of the Group of Seven (G7)."

President Steinmeier was re-elected in February this year. Although the German Chancellor exercises practical power, the role of head of state is performed by the president.

Earlier, on the 21st (local time), President Yoon held the first Korea-Germany summit with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Korean Mission to the United Nations in New York, USA.

At that time, President Yoon requested Chancellor Scholz's visit to Korea, saying, "Since Chancellor Helmut Kohl visited Seoul in 1993, no German chancellor has visited Korea," and Chancellor Scholz responded, "Starting with this meeting, I hope to invite the president not only to Korea but also to Germany so that we can have more bilateral meetings."

Regarding this, a Presidential Office official said, "The German president is coming as a head of state to hold a summit," and added, "Since the chancellor was also invited, if there is an opportunity to visit Korea at an appropriate time, I think he will come."

When asked by reporters whether there is a separate 'State Guest House' for the German president's visit, the official replied, "It seems that various options, including spaces within the Presidential Office or external locations, will be reviewed."