Special Lecture by the German Ambassador to Korea Hosted by the Department of German Language and Literature

A special lecture by Georg Wilfried Schmidt, the German Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, was successfully held on Friday, November 7 at 11:00 a.m. in the main conference room (Room 305) of Building 2 at Incheon National University’s Songdo Campus. The event was organized by the Department of German Language and Literature and drew strong interest from students, faculty, and staff.

Ambassador Schmidt delivered a lecture titled “35 Years of Reunification: Germany’s Today and Tomorrow,” offering in-depth insights into Germany’s social and political changes over the 35 years since reunification, the disparity between urban and rural areas, refugee and multicultural integration issues, the climate crisis, and other key challenges currently facing Germany. He also emphasized coexistence and mutual prosperity in diversity, underscoring Germany’s responsibility and future vision as a leading nation within Europe and on the global stage.

During the Q&A session, students raised a variety of questions on topics such as “the meaning of German identity and ‘Germanness,’” “challenges faced by Germany as a multicultural society,” and “ways to expand youth exchange between Korea and Germany.”

INU noted that this lecture will serve as an opportunity to actively pursue expanded academic and student exchanges as well as joint research initiatives with German universities and institutions in the future.