South Korean President Moon Jae-in is expected to speak with German Chancellor Angela Merkel over the phone on Thursday regarding strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations. The countries share close economic relations, as South Korea is one of Germany’s major trading partners in East Asia, and the third most important market for German goods in Asia, following China and Japan. On the other hand, Germany is South Korea’s most significant European trading partner, with bilateral trade volume hitting $28.6 million last year.
The talks, which are scheduled for 6 PM, will mark the first direct contact between the two leaders since their October 2018 meeting in Brussels; they are expected to speak about their countries’ COVID-19 response strategies, according to the Presidential Blue House. On this front, Korean PM Chung Sye-kyun on Tuesday told a virtual meeting of the United Nations’ Initiative on Financing for Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond that the South Korean government plans to expand humanitarian support and official development assistance relating to COVID-19 prevention in developing countries and continue sharing knowledge gained from its experience in containing the deadly virus. The presidential office also said that Moon will request Berlin’s support for South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee’s bid for the top post of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
In other related developments, President Moon will also meet with top Chinese and US diplomats when they visit Seoul later this month. The security situation in the Korean Peninsula has become tense following the killing of a South Korean official at sea by North Korean troops in late September. The issue is expected to be discussed with the foreign leaders. Mr Moon has referred to the incident as “shocking, tragic, regrettable and unfortunate,” and has expressed hope that the two nations would work together to resolve the issue and ensure such a situation does not occur again.
Some reports have also suggested that Seoul and Beijing are in constant contact about Chinese FM Wang Yi’s possible visit to South Korea. If the meeting occurs, issues for discussion would include President Xi Jinping’s plan for a South Korea trip, which has been put on hold due to the current pandemic, and South Korea’s proposal for hosting an annual trilateral summit with Japan and China in November or December.
Moon Jae-in Set for Talks With Angela Merkel on Bilateral Cooperation
The phone call will mark the first direct contact between the two leaders since their October 2018 meeting in Brussels.
October 1, 2020
SOURCE: BUNDESREGIERUNG.DE