[EAI Commentary] Opening New Avenues for Korea-Germany Cooperation

[Editor's Note]

On March 14th, the fourth cabinet under German Chancellor Angela Merkel was officially inaugurated, approximately six months after the federal election. The new government is expected to maintain its European integration policy while making various efforts to address pressing domestic and international issues. Notably, as climate change, demographic shifts, and the rise of protectionism and populism emerge as major global challenges, inter-state cooperation is becoming increasingly important. German Ambassador to Korea, Stephan Auer, emphasizes that Germany seeks to deepen and expand cooperation with South Korea, a long-standing friendly nation in Asia. Beyond existing areas of cooperation, Ambassador Auer adds that renewable energy could emerge as a new field for collaboration, considering the energy policy directions of both countries.

On March 14th, Chancellor Angela Dorothea Merkel was re-elected as the Chancellor of Germany. This marks her fourth term as Chancellor and the third Grand Coalition government led by Chancellor Merkel, comprising the CDU/CSU and the SPD.

With the appointment of new and younger ministers and high-ranking officials across various government ministries, the new German government intends to maintain the successful policies pursued in recent years for financial stability and economic development, while also embarking on new initiatives to address current domestic and international challenges.

The German government will continue to pursue policies crucial for Europe's resurgence and social cohesion. The European Union also formed the cornerstone of the agreement recently signed by the new coalition partners. Recognizing that Germany can only prosper within a successfully integrated Europe, the coalition partners share the view that the agreement begins with a chapter on Europe. Germany will continue to foster values such as open democracy, the rule of law, strict adherence to human rights, and multilateralism. It will also uphold the importance of a free market and social justice. Furthermore, it will enhance cooperative relationships worldwide.

However, this continuity does not imply stagnation. Rather, it aims to leverage the dynamics of a rapidly changing world. There is a need for new and sustainable solutions to the most pressing challenges facing our society, including climate change and demographic shifts, digitalization and urbanization, the rise of protectionism and populism, governmental actions contrary to universal values, and the protection of institutions and mechanisms to maintain a rules-based world order. These solutions require the cooperation of like-minded countries around the globe.

South Korea is one of Germany's closest partners in Asia. Notably, the current coalition agreement explicitly designates South Korea as a country with which Germany has a long-standing friendly relationship and with which it should further develop this relationship. Both South Korea and Germany share values such as democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and a socially balanced market economy. They also share the unfortunate history of division. However, while Germany had the unexpected opportunity of reunification in 1989/1990, South Korea is still awaiting its moment of unification. Germans understand the sentiments of Koreans and hope for their eventual peaceful and free unification.

These significant commonalities between the two nations foster strong bonds not only at the political level but also among their peoples. These human connections are deeply and strongly rooted in the histories of both countries. From the German, Mollendorff, who served as Minister of Commerce and Foreign Affairs for King Gojong, to the Korean nurses and miners who went to Germany in the 1960s and 1970s to aid economic development, and to today's outstanding classical musicians and football players, all these individuals have served as bridges between the two nations.

Crises, on the other hand, often present opportunities. I would like to mention three issues that can further strengthen the cooperative relationship between South Korea and Germany. First, effective multilateralism is key to crisis management, conflict resolution, and addressing global challenges. As middle powers, both South Korea and Germany rely on international organizations, norms, and mechanisms, including international human rights law, to ensure compliance. Regardless of a nation's size, international organizations such as the UN, regional cooperative bodies like the EU and ASEAN, and economic/financial institutions like the WTO and IMF are necessary to guarantee a certain scope of activity among nations. When these international organizations are challenged or disregarded by the unilateral initiatives of specific countries or by nationalistic interests, it is of paramount importance to empower them to fulfill their role in maintaining and advancing a rules-based world order. For instance, we must cooperate closely and pool our efforts in implementing the UN Security Council's sanctions resolutions concerning North Korea's nuclear program.

Second, the prosperity of both South Korea and Germany is significantly dependent on free exchange. As value chains become increasingly globalized, companies in both South Korea and Germany are closely interconnected and intertwined, as are companies in other countries worldwide. Therefore, we must defend free and rules-based bilateral and multilateral trade. The EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement is a powerful asset that can promote exchange and cooperation between our businesses. In the current era of rising protectionism, we can send a strong message in favor of free trade by deepening free trade agreements and eliminating non-tariff barriers. In fact, direct cooperation between South Korean and German companies will help maintain existing competitiveness while simultaneously gaining technological advantages and fostering innovation.

Third, climate change and a reliable, sustainable, and affordable energy supply represent another area where South Korea and Germany can cooperate, benefiting both sides. Germany is at the forefront of developing renewable energy, transitioning from traditional fossil fuel-based energy systems to carbon-neutral systems. It has begun phasing out nuclear energy and reducing its reliance on fossil fuels for energy production. This has not been an easy process. However, as renewable energy becomes increasingly competitive, Germany's energy transition, known as 'Energiewende,' is proving to be a success story.

Furthermore, one important but often overlooked aspect of Germany's energy transition is the development of decentralized renewable energy facilities. This has created approximately 370,000 jobs in recent years, a figure exceeding the number of jobs created in the nuclear and coal energy sectors. Germany is also a net exporter of energy to its neighboring countries. In particular, President Moon's decision to transition South Korea's energy system, especially in terms of increasing renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, and phasing out nuclear power, will open a new chapter in bilateral cooperation.

All these examples clearly demonstrate that cooperation between South Korea and Germany is advancing at all levels. The new German government is particularly interested in strengthening relations with South Korea. Let us now join forces to find innovative and sustainable solutions to the challenges we face! ■

Author

Stephan Auer_ German Ambassador to the Republic of Korea. He studied law and political science at the University of Bonn. He began his career at the German Federal Foreign Office in 1988 and has held positions including Head of the EU Coordination Group, Commissioner for Globalization, Energy and Climate Policy, Director at the European External Action Service (EEAS) in Brussels, and Deputy Managing Director for Human Rights, Global and Multilateral Issues.

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