Mayor Lee Yong-seop Meets with Michael Reiffenstuel, New German Ambassador to Korea

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Seon-gang] On the 12th, Lee Yong-seop, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, met with Michael Reiffenstuel, the newly appointed German Ambassador to Korea, to discuss cooperation plans between Gwangju and Germany in the fields of economy, culture, and human rights.

The mayor said, "Congratulations on your appointment as the German Ambassador to Korea, and despite your busy schedule, we welcome you along with our citizens for visiting Gwangju following former German Chancellor Schr?der and former German Ambassador Auer," adding, "I hope you will cooperate to further enhance the relationship between Gwangju and Germany in various fields such as economy, culture, and human rights."

He continued, "'Gwangju-type job' is successfully being promoted as a new labor-management win-win model, benchmarking Volkswagen Germany's 'Auto 5000' project," and added, "We have learned many lessons and gained experience from Germany."

He also said, "Now, Gwangju is taking the lead in making South Korea one of the four major AI powers by starting construction of the national AI industrial convergence complex within this year, building a big data center, fostering AI talent, and signing business agreements with over 40 companies including German company SAP Korea," adding, "I hope that broader and deeper exchanges with Germany will create synergy effects in various fields."

In response, Michael Reiffenstuel, the German Ambassador to Korea, stated, "Korea has developed globally not only in the economic sector but also in democracy and human rights, and I chose Gwangju, a symbol of Korean democratization, as my first local schedule after taking office."

He added, "Technologies such as artificial intelligence and hydrogen energy, which Germany and Gwangju share common interests in, can create greater synergy if we cooperate and exchange research rather than compete," and responded, "I will actively cooperate to expand exchanges and cooperation between Germany and Gwangju."

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