2014 December

01/12/2014 Seoul

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán paid an official visit to the Republic of Korea between 27-29 November 2014. The Prime Minister was accompanied by five Hungarian ministers: Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Mihály Varga, Minister for National Economy; Csaba Hende, Minister of Defence; Miklós Seszták, Minister of National Development; Zoltán Balog, Minister of Human Capacities.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met Korean President Park Geun-hye at the Blue House as well as several leaders of large Korean companies, including Samsung Electronics, Hankook Tire, Hyundai Corporation and KDB Bank. As part of the official program, the Hungarian prime minister attended and made a speech at the Hungarian-Korean Business Forum jointly organized by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) and the Hungarian National Trading House. Furthermore, Prime Minister Orbán held a lecture at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS), titled “Hungary and Europe in a changing world”. Before the lecture Prime Minister met with the President of HUFS, as well as with the professors and students of the Hungarian Faculty. HUFS is the only university in Korea with a Hungarian Faculty. The final program of the official visit of the delegation was a trip to the Demilitarized Zone running along the 38th parallel, separating South and North Korea.

On the occasion of the summit meeting at the Blue House, the following bilateral agreements were signed between Hungary and the Republic of Korea:

· MoU between the Ministry of Human Capacities of Hungary and the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea on cooperation in the field of education

· Air Services Agreement between the Governments of Hungary and the Republic of Korea

· Agreement between the Governments of Hungary and the Republic of Korea on the mutual recognition and exchange of driving licenses

· Memorandum of Understanding between the National Innovation Office of Hungary and the Financial Services Commission of the Republic of Korea on Cooperation in the Field of Technology Financing

The Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry have signed a cooperation agreement with its Korean counterpart at the Business Forum and further three business agreements have been signed between Hungarian and Korean companies.

A short film footage showing the highlights of the visit of Prime Minister Orbán to Korea can be viewed here:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152860005166093&set=vb.298090296092&type=2&theater