About 60 executives from both countries to attend; bilateral summit and joint press statement to precede dinner

President Lee Jae Myung and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hold bilateral talks on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, on June 16 (local time). [Yonhap]
President Lee Jae Myung and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hold bilateral talks on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, on June 16 (local time). [Yonhap]

President Lee Jae Myung invited Hyundai Motor Executive Chair Euisun Chung and about 60 other business leaders to a state dinner with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday evening.

Cheong Wa Dae Chief Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing that the government had put special care into the official dinner and gifts to express warm hospitality toward the German side and a commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation. "We invited the German delegation and Korean business leaders to promote Korea-Germany economic cooperation, and prepared the event on a scale befitting a state dinner," Kang said.

The Korean side will include Korea International Trade Association Chairman Yoon Jin-sik, Euisun Chung, Posco Chairman Jang In-hwa, Hyosung Chairman Cho Hyun-joon and HL Chairman Chung Mong-won.

From the German side, invitees include Siemens CEO Roland Busch, who also chairs the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business, Diehl Defence owner Markus Diehl, and Mahle CEO Arnd Franz.

The dinner menu drew on Germany's tradition of pork and potato dishes, featuring royal-style Korean pork belly glazed in soy sauce and shredded potato pancakes. In consideration of Chancellor Merz's preference for seafood, the menu also includes grilled flounder in gochujang sauce and mallow-and-clam doenjang soup.

Lee also prepared a Korean-brand camping and hiking set as a gift for Merz, who enjoys outdoor activities such as camping and hiking.

Before the dinner, Lee will hold a bilateral summit with Merz to discuss cooperation across a range of areas including the economy and defense. A joint press statement will also be issued.

The visit marks Merz's first trip to South Korea since taking office and the first bilateral visit by a German chancellor in three years. The two leaders last met at the G7 summit in France in June, making this their first meeting in four months.

The summit is expected to cover political affairs, the economy, defense and the arms industry, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges, with the aim of deepening future-oriented cooperation and laying the groundwork for a new leap forward in bilateral relations.

Particular attention is expected to be given to stabilizing supply chains and advancing high-tech cooperation in key industries such as semiconductors, batteries and AI with Germany — South Korea's largest trading partner in Europe — as well as expanding technology and industrial cooperation in renewable energy and power grids, and creating a better regulatory environment for business activity.

The two sides are also expected to explore opportunities for defense and arms industry cooperation and to exchange views on building an institutional framework to sustain ongoing collaboration.


sang@heraldcorp.com