Germany's Merz to visit South Korea for first summit with Lee

· Politics · South Korea · Germany

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit South Korea on Oct 29-30 for talks with President Lee Jae Myung and to attend the Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business, the presidential office said. The trip will be Merz's first to South Korea since taking office and the first bilateral summit between the two leaders. Separately, Lee called for closer South Korea-Japan cooperation on supply chains for advanced industries during a meeting with a Japanese business delegation led by Yoshinobu Tsutsui. Seoul is courting European and Japanese partners as it seeks to secure supply chains and investment.

Why it matters：Closer Seoul-Berlin and Seoul-Tokyo ties signal how middle powers are aligning supply chains and investment as US trade policy shifts.

Key points

  • Merz visits Oct 29-30, his first trip to South Korea since taking office
  • The visit includes the Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business
  • Lee urged closer South Korea-Japan supply chain cooperation

Sources (original reporting)

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