President Lee at Welcome Dinner for Merz: "German Precision, Korean Dynamism Can Create Boundless Synergies"

President Lee Hosts Official Dinner with Chancellor Merz on the 29th
"Will Broaden Scope of Cooperation from Semiconductors to Security"

President Lee Jae-myung told German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on the 29th, "If German precision and Korean dynamism join forces, we can create boundless synergies through cooperation."

President Lee made the remarks at an official dinner that day at Cheong Wa Dae with Chancellor Merz, who was visiting Korea on an official visit. Quoting the saying, "Germany is precise, and Korea is fast," President Lee explained, "It means that in Germany, a perfect plan is drawn up before work begins, while in Korea, the plan is made more perfect as the work gets underway."

President Lee Jaemyung delivers remarks at a dinner hosted in honor of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at Cheong Wa Dae on Oct. 29, 2026. Yonhap News

President Lee said, "Although Korea and Germany are geographically far apart, we share the valuable historical experience of overcoming the pain of war and division to achieve democracy and economic growth."

He continued, "German medical teams that came all the way to Busan immediately after the Korean War helped heal the wounds of the Korean people," adding, "The dedication of Korean miners and nurses who went to Germany in the 1960s and 1970s became a foundation for our economic development and the basis for trust and friendship between our two countries."

President Lee also said, "Today, Korea and Germany agreed to open a new future together by establishing an enhanced strategic partnership," adding, "The Republic of Korea and Germany will broaden the scope of cooperation across many fields, from advanced industries such as artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductors to security, the defense industry, supply chains, and science and technology."

President Lee added, "I believe the business leaders from both countries joining us today will play a leading role in this cooperation," and said, "I would like to propose a toast to the bright future that our two countries will build together." He concluded his toast by saying, "To the friendship between Korea and Germany and the shared prosperity of our two countries - Zum Wohl (German for 'cheers')."

Chancellor Merz responded, "The Republic of Korea is one of our closest partners in this region." He added, "We want to go beyond trade relations and jointly develop and commercialize innovations in areas ranging from semiconductors and computers to industrial AI," emphasizing, "In this way, we will build the world of tomorrow together."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.