Discussing security in the Euro-Atlantic area and in the Pacific Ocean region around South Korea, President Karis noted that the two are linked. “The steps Russia is taking to expand military cooperation with North Korea – breaching resolutions of the UN Security Council in doing so – are damaging to the security of both our regions,” he said. “The war in Ukraine and a Ukrainian victory are of fundamental importance to Europe, and their impact is being and will continue to be felt well beyond Europe’s borders.”
The head of state expressed his unease at the provocative steps being taken by North Korea and condemned the rocket tests and nuclear threats the country continues to make.
President Karis stressed the importance of South Korea’s unwavering support for Ukraine. “We must find ways of continuing to support the Ukrainians, including both military and humanitarian aid,” he urged. “We must talk about responsibility for all of the crimes that have been committed in Ukraine, including the crime of aggression, so as to bring those who committed them to justice.”
The heads of state also discussed events in the Middle East, developments in North Korea and cooperation on cyber issues. “We must take a stand against North Korea’s malicious activity in the cyber sphere,” President Karis stated.
On the topic of bilateral relations, the head of state said that the importance of the good relationship Estonia shares with South Korea was reflected in the opening of an Estonian embassy and business hub in Seoul. “This will strengthen friendly political relations and economic ties between our countries even further and lead to more cooperation in the fields of culture, education and national defence,” he said. “You can never have too many good, like-minded friends, especially in complex times, which the current security situation most certainly qualifies as.”
President Yoon confirmed his country’s desire to accelerate the process of establishing an embassy of its own in Tallinn.
He also provided a detailed overview of South Korea’s wish to host EXPO 2030 in Busan, outlining the innovative ideas the country has for organising the event.
President Karis expressed his hope that the opening of the embassy and business hub in Seoul would lead to much greater contact between Estonian and South Korean entrepreneurs. “That Estonian companies are very interested in doing business with South Korean partners is reflected in the business delegation that has accompanied me on this trip,” he said. “In fact, some of them have already found partners here. Estonia boasts a strong ecosystem for start-ups in the digital and deep-tech fields. There are also opportunities for cooperation in producing environmentally friendly hydrogen.”
President Karis extended an invitation to his South Korean counterpart to visit Estonia.
In the presence of the heads of state, Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Korea Park Jin and Estonian ambassador Sten Schwede signed an air service agreement between their two countries.
The Estonian head of state also paid a visit to the 1st Artillery Brigade of the Republic of Korea Army today, where he was he was given a demonstration of K9 propelled artillery systems. During his visit to South Korea the head of state will also meet with Jae-il Son, the CEO and president of Hanwha Aerospace which manufactures K9 artillery, to discuss progress in the production of additional K9 systems for the Estonian Defence Forces.
President Karis also visited the Dora Observatory overlooking the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas, where he was given an overview of the security situation on the Korean Peninsula.
