Unification Minister seeks support from officials of the German Parliament and government for the vision of a unified Korean Peninsula that is free and at peace.

Unification Minister attends a ceremony marking German Unity Day (October 3)

Michael Brand, Chairman of the Committee for Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and Kim Hong Kyun, Korean Ambassador to Germany

On October 3, Unification Minister Kim Yung Ho attended a ceremony marking the 33rd German Unity Day held in Hamburg and met with key officials of Germany.

Minister Kim met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, President of the Parliament Bärbel Bas, President of the Senate Peter Tschentscher, President of the Federal Constitutional Court Stephan Harbarth, and Chairman of the Committee for Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid of the CDU Michael Brand, expressed his congratulations on the 33rd German Unity Day and asked for the German government’s support for the vision of a unified Korean Peninsula that is free and at peace.

Peter Tschentscher, President of the Senate

In particular, Minister Kim held a separate talk with President of the Senate Peter Tschentscher, the organizer of the event, to express his gratitude for the invitation and ask for Germany’s interest and support for Busan’s bid for the World EXPO 2030.

Tschentscher thanked Minister Kim for attending and honoring the event with his presence, and put emphasis on the importance of close cooperation between South Korea and Germany on mutual concerns as they mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

Carsten Schneider, Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany

Immediately following the ceremony, the minister met with Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany Carsten Schneider to express gratitude for his role as German Chairman of the Korea-Germany Unification Advisory Committee, and they exchanged views on hosting an advisory council in Seoul next year.

Evelyn Zupke, SED Victims' Commissioner of the Parliament

Minister Kim then met with Evelyn Zupke, SED Victims' Commissioner of the Parliament, to discuss the process of reckoning with the dictatorship and social integration, and highlighted that the German case holds great implications for the Korean government as it faces the North Korean dictatorship spanning three generations.

Minister Kim’s visit to the UK and Germany (from September 28 to October 4, 2023) served as an opportunity to convey the policy direction of the Yoon administration and strengthen unification cooperation with the European region.

Moreover, through his visit, the minister was able to enhance international understanding of South Korea’s policy direction such as the Audacious Initiative for addressing the North Korean nuclear issue, share the awareness of the importance of international solidarity in improving human rights in North Korea, and reaffirm the European region’s support for the vision of “a unified Korean Peninsula that is free and at peace.”

The Ministry of Unification will continue to enhance understanding of the Yoon administration’s unification and North Korean policies through active unification diplomacy and secure international support and cooperation for unification on the Korean Peninsula.