German Chancellor Merz to visit S. Korea next week for summit with Lee

This will let Google show Yonhap news articles that match or are related to your search

SEOUL, Oct. 23 (Yonhap) -- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will make an official visit to South Korea next week for a summit with President Lee Jae Myung, Lee's office said Friday.

Merz is scheduled to visit Seoul next Thursday and Friday, marking his first visit to South Korea since taking office and the first bilateral visit by a German chancellor to the country in three years, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing.

Lee and Merz are scheduled to hold a summit Thursday, followed by a joint press statement and an official dinner, she added.

The summit will come about four months after their previous meeting on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit in France in June. It will be their third meeting since Merz took office, Kang said.

Merz will also attend the 19th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business in Seoul.

During the upcoming talks, the leaders will hold in-depth discussions on economic cooperation; future industries, such as batteries, semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI); defense and the arms industry, as well as regional and international issues.

"Germany is South Korea's largest trading partner in Europe and a key partner, with around 850 South Korean companies operating there," Kang said.

"The visit is expected to help advance bilateral ties in a more strategic and forward-looking direction."

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (R) and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hold talks in Evian-les-Bains, France, on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit, in this file photo from June 16, 2026. (Yonhap)

graceoh@yna.co.kr (END)

(2nd LD) Lee calls for efforts to advance S. Korea-Germany ties to 'new level'

(3rd LD) Lee attends G7 summit in Evian, has brief encounter with Trump

(News Focus) Lee broadens diplomatic outreach to Europe in 1st trip to region

German Chancellor Merz to visit S. Korea next week for summit with Lee

这将使谷歌能够向您展示与您的搜索匹配或相关的韩联社新闻文章。

首尔，10月23日（韩联社）——李在明总统办公室周五表示，德国总理弗里德里希·默茨将于下周对韩国进行正式访问，并与李在明总统举行峰会。

总统发言人康裕贞在一份书面简报中表示，默茨总理计划于下周四和周五访问首尔，这将是他上任以来首次访问韩国，也是三年来德国总理首次对韩国进行双边访问。

她补充说，李和默茨计划于周四举行峰会，随后发表联合新闻声明并出席正式晚宴。

康表示，此次峰会将距离他们上次在法国举行的七国集团（G7）峰会期间的会晤大约四个月。这将是默茨就任总理以来他们的第三次会晤。

梅尔茨还将出席在首尔举行的第19届亚太德国商业大会。

在即将举行的会谈中，两国领导人将就经济合作、电池、半导体和人工智能等未来产业、国防和军工产业以及区域和国际问题进行深入讨论。

康表示：“德国是韩国在欧洲最大的贸易伙伴和重要伙伴，约有 850 家韩国公司在德国开展业务。”

“此次访问有望推动双边关系朝着更具战略性和前瞻性的方向发展。”

这张摄于2026年6月16日的资料照片显示，韩国总统李在明（右）和德国总理弗里德里希·默茨在法国埃维昂莱班出席七国集团峰会期间举行会谈。（韩联社）

graceoh@yna.co.kr (完)

（第二条）李呼吁努力将韩德关系提升到“新水平”

（第三条）李光耀出席在依云举行的七国集团峰会，与特朗普短暂会面。

（新闻焦点）李光耀首次访欧，扩大对欧外交接触

德国总理默茨将于下周访问韩国，与李明博举行峰会。