The Chancellor pointed out that both countries shared the fate of being divided. A dialogue is to be established between the foreign ministries of the two states on matters of reunification. "We would like to support Korea on this important issue," said the Chancellor. Germany was divided for 40 years; Korea has already been in this situation for 70 years.

Nuclear threat

Angela Merkel also spoke of the nuclear threat posed by North Korea, and the question of how this could be overcome. Germany is very much interested in seeing peaceful development on the Korean peninsula, said the Chancellor. Development of this sort is, however, rendered impossible by North Korea’s nuclear programme. "Progress must be made on the six-party talks," declared Angela Merkel.

Free trade agreement fosters dynamic rise in trade

The Chancellor pointed to the free trade agreement entered into in 2011 by the European Union and South Korea, which has led to a dynamic rise in trade between the two. Between 2011 and 2012 alone trade rose by 16.1 per cent. German car exports were one of the beneficiaries.

The visit of President Park Geun-hye, stressed the Chancellor, opens a new chapter in cooperation between Germany and Korea.

Strong economic partner

South Korea, with its powerful economy and high level of technological capacities, is one of Germany’s most important economic partners in East Asia. It is the third most important sales market for Germany in Asia, while Germany is South Korea’s main European trading partner.

According to official Korean statistics, the volume of bilateral trade in 2013 was about 27.2 billion US dollars. Germany chalked up a balance of trade surplus of 11.4 billion US dollars. In 2013, German businesses invested 248 million US dollars in South Korea.

University links

Germany and Korean universities have developed promising cooperation arrangements. More than 5,200 Koreans are studying at German universities. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and other organisations offer a large number of scholarship programmes. Academic contacts are further enriched by around 300 university twinning arrangements and more than 60 German lecturers who are currently working at Korean universities.