President Lee Myung-bak met with Dr. Norbert Lammert, President of the Bundestag, the lower house of the German parliament; Hartmut Koschyk, Chairman of the German-Korean Parliamentary Friendship Group and other members of the German delegation this afternoon for 30 minutes from four o’clock. At the meeting, the participants discussed ways to enhance amity and cooperation between Korea and Germany and reinforce substantive bilateral collaboration.

Welcoming the first visit by a President of the Bundestag since 1964, 44 years ago, President Lee gave high marks to the remarkable progress in bilateral relations in various fields such as politics, diplomacy and culture since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1955.

On top of this, President Lee expressed appreciation for the German Government’s invitation of Korea to be a partner country to the Hannover Messe 2009, an industrial exhibition to be held from April 20-24 next year in Hannover city. He expressed his wish to introduce Korea’s advanced industrial technologies to Germany and to further promote bilateral collaborative ties in the economy and industry on the occasion of Korean businesses’ participation in the exhibition.

The Korean President explained that his Administration is trying to improve inter-Korean relations under the principle of mutual benefit and common prosperity. He said that reconciliation and cooperation between the two Koreas is essential for peace and security in Northeast Asia. He expressed hope that Germany, with the experience of a divided land, would continue to support the Korean Government’s effort to bring about permanent peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. What the Government wants to see, the President said, is serious, constructive dialogue between the two Koreas in the endeavor to achieve denuclearization of the North. He expressed the hope that Germany would take extraordinary interest in Korea and help the Korean Government’s intention to improve relations with Pyongyang.