State visits to the Republic of Korea and Mongolia

Topic: Report

16 October 2015

The Federal President and Daniela Schadt travelled to the Republic of Korea and to Mongolia for state visits from 10 to 16 October. The visit to South Korea focused on 25 years of German unity and 70 years of Korea’s division. During his trip to Mongolia from 14 to 16 October the Federal President held political talks with the President and the Chairman of Parliament.

Federal President Joachim Gauck and his partner Daniela Schadt receive a silver bowl of dry curd as a welcome gift upon their arrival at the airport Chinggis Khaan in Ulan Bator on the occasion of the state visit to Mongolia

Federal President Joachim Gauck and Daniela Schadt travelled to the Republic of Korea and to Mongolia for state visits from 10 to 16 October.

The visit to South Korea from 10 to 14 October focused on 25 years of German unity and 70 years of Korea’s division. In Seoul the Federal President addressed the South Korean National Assembly. He held political talks with President Park and other high ranking politicians. Further the Federal President opened a German-Korean academic conference. Then he spoke to members of the German-Korean advisory body on foreign policy aspects of reunification. Meetings with North Korean refugees and representatives of South Korea’s civil society were also on the agenda. On the border between North and South Korea, the Federal President opened an exhibition on German unity and visited the Demilitarised Zone.

During his trip to Mongolia from 14 to 16 October the Federal President held political talks with the President and the Chairman of Parliament. Further he met business representatives, religious leaders and representatives of civil society and academia in Ulan Bator. At the German Mongolian University of Applied Sciences for Raw Materials and Technology he met the first generation of students and staff. The visit of an important excavation project run by the German Archaeological Institute, which commenced under the patronage of Federal President Herzog in Karakorum was canceled due to harsh weather conditions.

The Federal President was accompanied on his trip by a business delegation and high ranking German academics.

Overview of the programme:

Saturday, 10 October 2015

  • Evening

    Flight to Seoul

Sunday, 11 October 2015

  • Arrival in Seoul
  • Tour of Changdeokgung Palace
  • Visit to the Korea Furniture Museum
  • German Ambassador’s Residence

    Dinner with representatives of German institutions

Monday, 12 October 2015

  • Seoul National Cemetery

    Wreath-laying ceremony at the Memorial Tower in the National Cemetery

  • Cheong Wa Dae, seat of the President

    Welcome with military honours by the President of the Republic of Korea

    Talks with the President

    Joint press conference

  • Hotel

    Lunch with business people, hosted by the chairpersons of Korean trade associations

  • National Assembly (Gukhoe)

    Talks with the Speaker of the National Assembly

    Speech by the Federal President to the National Assembly

  • Hotel

    Talks with representatives of civil society

  • Cheong Wa Dae

    State banquet hosted by the President of the Republic of Korea

Tuesday, 13 October 2015

  • Hotel

    Opening of the German-Korean science conference

  • Seoul City Hall

    Talks with the Mayor of Seoul

    Awarding of honorary citizenship of Seoul to the Federal President

  • Foreign Minister’s Residence

    Lunch with the advisory body for foreign-policy aspects of reunification

  • Yeomyung School

    Talks with young refugees from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

  • Hotel

    Reception hosted by the Federal President and Ms Schadt to mark the 25th anniversary of German unification

Wednesday, 14 October 2015

  • 10.00 am, Dorasan

    Opening of an exhibition on reunification and tour of the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ)

  • 12.45 pm, Paju

    Talks with the CEO of LG

    Tour of the plant

  • Afternoon

    Flight from Seoul to Ulan Bator

Thursday, 15 October 2015

  • Chinggis Square [MESZ +6]

    Welcome with military honours by the President of Mongolia

  • State Palace, State Yurt

    Talks with the President of Mongolia in the Government Palace

    Joint press conference

  • State Palace

    Talks with the Chairman of the State Great Hural (Parliament) of Mongolia

  • Meeting with Mongolian soldiers serving with the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan and their German military trainers
  • Restaurant Monet

    Talks with the Prime Minister of Mongolia and business people

  • Lunch hosted by the Prime Minister of Mongolia
  • Visit to Gandantegchenling Monastery
  • Visit to the German-Mongolian University of Applied Sciences for Raw Materials and Technology
  • Khan Uul Palace

    State reception hosted by the President of Mongolia and First Lady Bolormaa in honour of the Federal President and Ms Schadt

Friday, 16 October 2015

  • Hotel

    Talks with representatives of civil society

  • Canceled due to harsh weather conditions:

    Flight to Karakorum

    Visit to Erdene Zuu Monastery

    Inauguration of the temple platform reconstructed with funding from the German Archaeological Institute

    1.25 pm, Munkh Tenger Yurt Camp

    Lunch in Karakorum hosted by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Mongolia
    thereafter

    flight to Ulan Bator

    and

  • thereafter

    flight to Berlin