1. The third meeting of the Korean-German Advisory Group on the Foreign Policy towards Reunification took place in Seoul on October 12 during the visit of German President Joachim Wilhelm Gauck to the Republic of Korea. The meeting covered in depth the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and trust-building tasks; and people-to-people (including economic) exchanges in the private sector and humanitarian issues.

◦ The successful third meeting of the Advisory Group is seen to have served as an opportunity to further step up the ROK-Germany cooperation on unification diplomacy, which has been underway on various occasions, including the two rounds of bilateral Foreign Ministers’ meetings held in 2015 -- the 70th anniversary of the division of the Korean Peninsula and the 25th anniversary of German unification -- as well as the ROK’s “Eurasia Express” project.

◦ Germany’s strong support and assistance for the envisioned unification of the Korean Peninsula, which was reaffirmed at the meeting, is expected to help win broader international support for a peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula.

2. In Session I, themed “the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and trust-building tasks,” the ROK delegation explained diverse effort being made by the ROK government to build inter-Korean trust and to pave the way for a peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula amid the unique security situation on the Korean Peninsula rendering it difficult to achieve progress in building substantive inter-Korean trust.

◦ The German delegation, stressing that continued efforts to build trust between East and West Germany helped create a favorable environment for the German unification, shared Germany’s trust-building experiences back then.

- The German delegation advised that the ROK use the upcoming reunions of families separated during the Korean War as opportunities to build inter-Korean trust; and take a holistic approach toward unification as a process for easing tensions, building peace, alleviating people’s pain caused by the division, and seeking respect for human rights.

3. In Session II on “people-to-people exchanges in the private sector,” the German delegation noted that robust private exchanges between East and West Germany during the period of German division had resulted in expediting the restoration of the sense of homogeneity of the German people and thereby had helped lay the ground for the unification. The German delegates also explained in detail people-to-people and materials exchanges held between East and West Germany back then.

◦ The ROK delegation explained that its government, fully recognizing the importance of restoring the sense of homogeneity of the Korean people through increased exchanges and cooperation on the civilian level, is proactively seeking to boost inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation under its policy of Trust-Building Process on the Korean Peninsula. In that regard, the ROK delegates explained in detail the current status of inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation, reunions of families separated during the Korean War and humanitarian assistance to North Korea.

4. At the luncheon and briefing on the outcome of the Advisory Group’s third meeting, hosted by the ROK’s Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se for German President Gauck on the next day, October 13, the ROK and German Chairmen of the group explained the main points discussed in the meeting and presented relevant policy suggestions.

◦ President Gauck and Minister Yun, noting with appreciation that the outcome of the Advisory Group’s third meeting will serve as useful reference in the course of the ROK’s implementation of its unification diplomacy, agreed to actively support the Advisory Group’s activities in the future.

5. President Gauck, at his working luncheon with the members of the Advisory Group on October 13; and his summit talks and joint press conference with the ROK President as well as in his address at the National Assembly on October 12, highlighted the importance of a peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula as well as the need for united collaboration of the international community to this end. In addition, the German President, expressing respect to the ROK over its economic achievements made amid social changes and democratization, presented his view that the ROK and Germany will become genuine partners in unification and various other areas.


* unofficial translation