Yoon Asks German President for Understanding on Unavoidable Postponement of Visit

Phone Call with President Steinmeier
Steinmeier: "Yoon Hopes to Reattempt Visit to Germany"

President Yoon Suk-yeol had a phone call with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on the 20th and asked for understanding regarding the postponement of his visit to Germany.

During the call with President Steinmeier in the afternoon, President Yoon said, "As communicated through diplomatic channels, due to various reasons including focusing on domestic livelihood issues, we have inevitably postponed the visit to Germany," the presidential office reported.

President Steinmeier responded, "We fully understand the position of the Korean side," and added, "I sincerely hope that through consultations between both sides, President Yoon's visit to Germany can be rescheduled at an appropriate time."

President Yoon Suk-yeol and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier are holding a joint press conference after concluding a summit meeting at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul on November 4, 2022.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The two leaders evaluated that the 'Korea-Germany Joint Cybersecurity Recommendations on North Korea,' announced the previous day, proceeded as planned regardless of the postponement of this visit. The National Intelligence Service announced the joint cybersecurity recommendations with Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) the day before to prevent cyberattacks by North Korea in the defense industry sector.

They also agreed to proceed with the cooperation enhancement projects discussed during the preparation for this visit as scheduled, aiming for continuous collaboration focused on security, advanced technology, and cyber fields.

The two leaders shared the intention to further strengthen the friendly cooperative relationship between Korea and Germany, which has lasted for over 140 years, and agreed to maintain close communication through frequent calls in the future.

Originally, President Yoon planned to make a state visit to Germany and an official visit to Denmark starting from the 18th, coordinating detailed schedules with the respective countries. However, four days before departure, the presidential office announced that the tour was postponed after reviewing various factors.

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