South Korea-Slovakia relations set to drive future innovation: Ján Kuderjavý, Ambassador of Slovakia

Описание: South Korea-Slovakia relations set to drive future innovation: Ján Kuderjavý, Ambassador of Slovakia in Korea

한-EU, 한-슬로바키아 관계의 현황과 미래

This year South Korea celebrates its 60 year diplomatic anniversary with the European Union after ties were established in 1953. Relations between the two sides have been deepening and broadening over the decades from trade ties to like-minded partnership in global governance as well as innovation and culture.
The Slovak Republic is one of the 27 EU member states, and celebrates 30 years of friendship with Korea since 1993.
Today, we invite Ján Kuderjavý, Ambassador of Slovakia in Korea to reflect on the relationship, and where it's headed.

1.
This year is the 60th anniversary of Korea-EU relations, and 30 years for Slovakia and Korea. We are both rather young countries. What make the relationship special in your opinion – what have been some key milestones?

Mutual dipl. relations between KR and SK exist only 30 years, however our bil. cooperation has already achieved remarkable progress;
What is special? It is economic cooperation in particular. Abt. 20 years ago some KR companies noticed Slovakia's strategic location in the heart of Eur. continent and began investing there; Slovakia finally became the starting platform for their export to Eur. countries especially after FTA EU-KR entered into force in 2011;
Nowadays there are abt. 100 KR companies including KIA Motors, Samsung Electronics or Hyundai Mobis established in SK.

2. What are the priority areas that you see taking the ROK-Slovakia relationship further?

When targeting KR companies we are determined to attract/support investments with high added value and innovation potential;
2 major priorities in automotive – focus on production of BEV (KIA Slovakia 2024) and production of batteries for EVs; automotive – leading industrial sector in SK; 5 car producers – VW, Stellantis, KIA, Jag. Land Rover+Volvo; 1 mil. cars prod.;
Other sectors -robotics and AI, nanotechnology, biotechnology, material research, digitalization and sustainable energy incl. hydrogen.

3. What role do you think South Korea can play, now that it has set out to become more active in the global community, even establishing a NATO mission to Brussels this year?

KR belongs to 10 or 12 biggest economies; it owns high-tech including space technologies – launches of Nuri rockets;
KR adheres to the same values as EU+NATO countries – democracy, rule of law, market economy, respect of HR;
I believe there is certainly space for KR to play more active role on global political scene – global security issues, environmental policies, public health; development aid, etc.; recent adoption of KR IP strategy is a positive step in this respect.

4. The South Korean and Slovakian defense ministers met last year and agreed to increase bilateral cooperation on defense.
What were the key outcomes of that meeting and how do you expect to move forward?

outcome of – MoU, which puts our cooperation in the defense closer;
possibility of KR´s participation in modernization of our Air Force is on the table;
war in UA opened eyes of many in Europe; showed that independence and freedom should not be considered as st. automatically granted; we have to strengthen NATO collective defense; SK aims to modernize both Armed and Air Forces; SK signed contract with US for delivery of 14 F-16 but we need also training aircraft.

6. Slovakia is one of the few countries that have diplomatic relations with North Korea. It’s also a country that’s experienced division -although on vastly different terms -in recent history. How do you see the process of initiating diplomacy with North Korea, in terms of pursuing denuclearization?

I started my mission in Seoul at beginning of 2019 -period after the Singapore summit between Trump/Kim when hopes of finding solution to the question of denuclearisation were rising; unfortunately, those hopes faded after Hanoi summit in February 2019;
Right now the situation doesn´t look good; I represent here small country Slovakia located far away from KP, so I am not supposed to give kind of lecture to negotiators involved in denucl. process here and there;
But what I know for sure we shouldn´t give up our hopes; miracles sometimes happen; look at the history of Europe where iron curtain between East and West was removed after decisions taken by M. G. and R. R; similarly I want to keep the hope that one day when situation is ripe enough, the process of denucl. would start; for that purpose the consent of the parties directly involved, but of course also the major powers is needed.

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2023-01-04, 09:30 (KST)