Event explores Polish-German ties

A group of European scholars and lawmakers will participate in a rare seminar today in Seoul to explore the Polish-German relationship as a source of inspiration for future ties between Korea and Japan.

Organized jointly by the German and Polish embassies as well as the Asan Institute of Policy Studies, the seminar will explore how the European neighbors have navigated their complicated history after World War II and forged a working partnership. The participants will also discuss how lessons gleaned from the Polish-German relationship may be applied to current Korean-Japanese relations.

“The Polish-German relationship and the Korean-Japanese relationship are both inextricably linked by a complex and traumatic history defined in large part by World War II,” the organizers said in a release. “But today, all four countries share common democratic values and are deeply embedded in the global market economy.”

The seminar also commemorates the 20th anniversary of the Polish-German Treaty of Good Neighborship and Friendly Cooperation.

The conference will start at 9:30 a.m. at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies. Jan Krzysztof Bielecki, former Polish prime minister, and Klaus Hansch, former president of the European Parliament, are among the seminar participants.

By Ser Myo-ja [myoja@joongang.co.kr]