Goseong County Welcomes German Ambassador to Korea... Anticipates Regional Development Through Strengthened Cooperation with Germany

Goseong County in Gangwon Province (Governor Ham Myungjun) announced on the 20th that Georg Wilfried Schmidt, the German Ambassador to Korea, visited Goseong County on the 15th.

Hahm Myungjun, the governor of Goseong County, is shaking hands and posing for a commemorative photo with Georg Wilfried Schmidt, the German Ambassador to Korea, who visited Goseong County on the 15th. Provided by Goseong County, Gangwon Province.

This visit marked the second exchange between the two since their first meeting at the '2025 Europe Day' event on May 9. It served as an opportunity to further strengthen the cooperative relationship between Goseong County, which has established itself as a symbol of peace and unification, and Germany.

Ambassador Schmidt visited the Unification Observatory, where he looked out over North Korean territory and experienced firsthand the reality of the division on the Korean Peninsula. He expressed deep empathy, saying, "Just as Germany overcame the pain of division and achieved unification, I sincerely hope that Korea will also realize peace and unification."

Ambassador Schmidt also showed great interest in Goseong County's ongoing sustainable renewable energy policies. He stated, "Sustainable development is a responsibility to future generations, and there is significant potential for cooperation between Germany and Korea in this field," suggesting the possibility of expanding collaboration in related areas.

Regarding the 'Europe Exploration Program,' which sends Goseong County students to Europe every year, Ambassador Schmidt remarked, "Goseong County is doing an excellent job," and promised, "I will actively support students when they visit German universities."

Ambassador Schmidt also expressed keen interest in Goseong County's deep-sea water industry. He advised, "While K-food is gaining popularity worldwide, it is important to strategically promote Korea's lesser-known marine resources and local foods." He added, "In Germany, healing culture and wellness centers utilizing hot springs or mineral water are very popular. If Goseong County creates healing spaces such as spas using deep-sea water, it will likely receive a positive response from both domestic and international tourists."

During his visit to the DMZ Museum, Ambassador Schmidt viewed a segment of the Berlin Wall displayed outdoors and exhibits related to the German unification process. He commented, "Goseong's DMZ has the potential to develop into a space where peace and art can coexist, transcending its symbolism as a divided area." He also visited the Sherwood Hall Memorial Hall at Hwajinpo, signing the guestbook and stating, "The historical and cultural heritage of Goseong, which embodies the spirit of Korea's modern and contemporary history, is truly impressive."

Goseong County has already established a close cooperative relationship by signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung in Germany. With the foundation's support and cooperation, Goseong County has successfully built a friendship city relationship with Bayreuth, Germany. The German Ambassador's visit further expanded the foundation for practical cooperation and mutual understanding between the two countries.

Governor Ham Myungjun stated, "I hope this visit will serve as an opportunity not only to deepen exchanges between Goseong and Germany, but also to jointly seek the path to peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula. We will continue to do our best to establish Goseong County as a symbol of peace, exchange, and sustainable development."

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