President of the Council of States Eva Herzog to visit South Korea

Programme

Ms Herzog will be received at the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea by its vice president, Lee Hack-young, on Tuesday, 5 November. Discussions will focus on cooperation between the two countries in the areas of business, science and research, and within the UN Security Council. Ms Herzog will also hold talks with the mayor of Seoul on various areas of cooperation and common interest between Basel and Seoul, particularly in the fields of innovation, the economy, science, and social and urban development.

Bilateral cooperation

In Seoul, Ms Herzog and her delegation will meet with the heads of various Swiss companies based in South Korea to discuss trade and geopolitical issues in East Asia, particularly in relation to China. South Korea is Switzerland's fifth largest trading partner in Asia, with a trade volume reaching CHF 5.8 billion in 2023. The two countries also share a growing interest in cooperation in science and innovation. A joint declaration was signed last year to strengthen ties in the fields of research, particularly in digital transformation, biotechnology and quantum science and technology. The parliamentary delegation will visit Ewha Womans University and its quantum research laboratories.

Switzerland's commitment to peace and security

On Thursday, 6 November, the parliamentary delegation will visit the military demarcation line between North and South Korea at Panmunjom, where it will meet with the Swiss delegation to the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC). The visit will provide an opportunity to discuss the rising tensions between the two Koreas and regional security issues.

To mark the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, Ms Herzog will visit the Digital Dilemmas - Civilians at Heart exhibition, organised by the Embassy of Switzerland in the Republic of Korea and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The exhibition highlights the challenges and opportunities of digitalisation for protecting civilians in armed conflict. In addition, she will participate in a round table at the War Memorial of Korea on Women at the Nexus of Climate, Conflict and Peacebuilding, organised by the Swiss Embassy and UN Women, in the presence of Ban Ki-moon, former UN secretary-general.

Ms Herzog will be accompanied on the visit by Council of States Vice President Andrea Caroni (FDP, AR) and Council of States member Erich Ettlin (The Centre, OW).