President Lee to Hold Summit with German Chancellor on the 29th, Discuss Cooperation on Semiconductors, AI and Defense Industry

[Financial News] President Lee Jae-myung will meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at Cheong Wa Dae on the 29th for a summit and discuss ways to expand cooperation between the two countries in advanced industries, defense and the defense industry.
Kang Yoo-jung, senior presidential spokesperson at Cheong Wa Dae, said in a written briefing on the 23rd that Chancellor Merz will make an official visit to South Korea for two days, from the 29th to the 30th. It will be Merz’s first visit to South Korea since taking office. It has been three years since a German chancellor made an official bilateral visit to South Korea.
President Lee and Chancellor Merz are scheduled to hold a summit on the afternoon of the 29th, followed by a joint press statement and an official dinner, among other events. Their meeting will be their third, following talks held on the sidelines of last November’s G20 summit and this June’s G7 Summit.
Economic and industrial cooperation between the two countries is expected to be a key topic at the summit. The two leaders are expected to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in future industries such as batteries, semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as expand trade and investment. Defense and defense industry cooperation, along with expanded people-to-people exchanges, will also be on the table.
They are also expected to exchange views on regional developments and major international issues.
Germany is South Korea’s largest trading partner in Europe, and about 850 South Korean companies have a presence there. Industrial and economic ties between the two countries are also close, with major companies basing their European regional headquarters in Germany.
Meanwhile, Chancellor Merz will also attend the 19th German Asia-Pacific Business Conference (APK 2026), which will be held in Seoul during his visit to South Korea. It will be the first time APK has been held in South Korea in 19 years, since 2007.
[email protected] Choi Jong-geun Reporter