German Chancellor Scholz to visit Seoul on May 21 for summit with Yoon

President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, shakes hands with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during their summit in New York on Sept. 21. [YONHAP]

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will visit Korea on May 21 for a summit with President Yoon Suk Yeol, officials of the two countries said Thursday.

Scholz will make the trip after attending a Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima, Japan, on the same day.

He will first visit the demilitarized zone (DMZ), which separates the two Koreas, a senior German official said during a press briefing in Berlin.

He will then hold a bilateral meeting with President Yoon and attend a dinner hosted by Yoon before heading back to Germany. The German chancellor will be accompanied by his wife, Britta Ernst, the official said.

Seoul's presidential office noted his visit comes as the two countries celebrate the 140th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral ties through the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation in November 1883.

"This visit is expected to serve as a valuable opportunity to enhance economic and security cooperation, and deepen solidarity and collaboration in addressing regional and international issues with Germany, a long-standing friendly country that shares universal values," Yoon's office said.

According to the German official, Yoon and Scholz will discuss a wide range of bilateral and international issues during their meeting, including cooperation on energy and climate change, the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and Indo-Pacific security policies with a particular focus on China.

Scholz decided to visit the DMZ to witness the division of the Korean Peninsula firsthand, the official added.

As a country that was once divided, Germany hopes to share its experience of reunification with Korea and is interested in learning about Seoul's efforts to reunify with Pyongyang, the official said.

Scholz will be the first German leader to visit Seoul in 13 years since former Chancellor Angela Merkel's trip in 2010 to attend a Group of 20 summit.

He will also be the first German chancellor to visit Seoul for a bilateral meeting in 30 years since former Chancellor Helmut Kohl's visit in 1993.

Yonhap