“A source of wisdom and hope to Koreans”; Germany unification

This year’s German Embassy reception to celebrate the Day of Germany Unity shined even more by the attendance of many distinguished guests from Germany including former President Christian Wolf of Germany and Minister-President Volker Bouffier of Hessen with his spouse.

 

   
▲ From right, former President Christan Wolf of Germany, Minister Yu of Unification, Amb. Mafael, Mrs. Bouffier, Minister Volker Bouffier of Hessen, and former President Lee Ki-su of Korea University at the reception, held at the Amb residence.


Following national anthems of the two countries performed by the Ehwa Women’s University Orchestra, Amb. Rolf Mafael who assumed his Amb. position in Seoul on July this year, said: “Next year will be an important impetus to upgrade bilateral relations between Korea and Germany because the diplomatic ties commemorating 130 years coincide with the 50 years which sent Korean mineworkers and nurses to Germany half century ago”. Speaking to the guests with his fluent Korean at first, Amb. Mafael said: “I am very pleased because all Korean friends are treating me and my family as if friends”, adding he will do his utmost for upgrading bilateral relations during his duty in Korea.
Minister-President Volker Bouffier stressed the special bond between Korea and Hessen state, explaining that about 6,000 Korean residents are living in his state and 75% of Korean companies doing business in Germany are active in Hessen. Minister Yu Woo-ik of Unification who attended on behalf of the government praised that Germany nowadays grew as a leading country pioneering world order despite of pessimistic worries that sudden Germany unification would bring about enormous unification cost and social disorder. He said that Germany’s accomplishment is becoming a source of wisdom and hope to Koreans who prepare the unification on the peninsular.
From the Seoul Diplomatic Corps. came Amb. Josef Muellner of Austria, Amb. Paul Menkveld of the Netherlands, and Amb. Sergio Mercuri of Italy besides many German community in Korea.

 

   
▲ Madame Kai Wang and Amb. Josef Mullner of Austria (first & second from left) pose with German community in Seoul during the reception.

The following is a congratulatory message from German President Joachim Gauck on the occasion of the Day of German Unification. –Ed.
This year, for the first time, I am addressing you on the occasion of the Day of German Unity in my function as Federal President. It is a day that reminds us Germans what happiness our recent history has brought. In 1989, the courageous population in the East cast off the chains of oppression and fought successfully for freedom, democracy, and, in the end, the reunifica¬tion of our fatherland. Today, 22 years later, we are thankful that our country has come into its own, mindful of what has been accomplished over the past decades: the economic miracle in the West, the establishment of a stable democracy and civil society there after the havoc wrought by National Socialism and the World War, and finally the peaceful revolution that brought freedom to the Germans in the East and the reunification of our country.
Germany is a free country where the rule of law prevails. It is a country both economically strong and at the same time concerned with the welfare of all members of society. We may rightly promote our social market economy as a model for the world. Today we can be proud of our country and the role it is playing in doing good in the world.
Especially in these politically and economically challenging times, we Germans remain committed to Europe. Europe is the joint response of many different countries to the wars of the 20th century, but is also a cultural home to a great variety of people, a stand-out political project and a wonderful cosmopolitan conception of unity in diversity. We want to uphold Europe now and nurture its future progress, especially when, given the current crisis, some are tempted to pull back behind national borders. We want to make Europe a space where peace and freedom are at home. We are also aware that even as a large country within Europe we are too small to mount an adequate response to political upheavals and the rapid rise of new economies around the world. We Germans need Europe. We Germans want Europe.

 

   
▲ Deputy Head Johannes Regenbrecht & Mr. Do Phil-young, Press Officer of German Embassy (second & first from right) pose with guests during the reception.


We want to live up to the role in Europe that our country has gradually acquired, partly on the basis of our economic strength, but above all on the basis of the reliability we have demonstrated over decades. We want to take on responsibility. This is expected of us and that it is expected of us is – in light of our past history – a great gift of trust.

 

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