Slovak Ambassador to Korea Marek Repovsky speaks about the healthy diplomatic relations between Korea and Slovakia during an interview with The Korea Times at the Embassy of Slovakia in Seoul, May 31. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Slovak Ambassador to Korea Marek Repovsky expressed his aim to invite President Yoon Suk Yeol to Slovakia during his tenure, which would mark the first Korean presidential visit to the European country, and enhance political and economic cooperation.

"My personal goal, and this is probably the key, is to bring President Yoon to Slovakia," Repovsky said during an interview with The Korea Times at the Embassy of Slovakia in Seoul, May 31.

Slovakia has not yet hosted a Korean president, although former Slovak President Andrej Kiska made an official visit to Korea for the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. During former President Moon Jae-in's term, there was almost a successful arrangement for a visit. Repovsky remains hopeful that Yoon's visit will pave the way for a reciprocal visit by a Korean president, enhancing political dialogue and relations.

The ambassador also mentioned recent high-level diplomatic visits in early May, emphasizing their importance in strengthening bilateral relations.

“We had the visit of the Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar,” he said. “This visit was significant as it marked the beginning of his tenure with the new government. It sent a strong signal to Korean interlocutors that we care about Korea and are ready to intensify our cooperation.”

During his visit, Blanar met with several key figures, including the prime minister, the unification minister and the foreign minister, to discuss various issues, including the situation on the Korean Peninsula. He also met with business leaders and opened an honorary consulate in Ulsan, reflecting Slovakia's interest in deepening economic ties with Korea's industrial regions.

Reflecting on Korea's impressive economic achievements, Repovsky praised the nation's resilience and growth.

“I really admire the Korean nation for what they have achieved over the past 60 to 70 years,” he said. “Despite the challenging security environment on the Korean Peninsula, Korea has risen from a GDP similar to Angola in the 1960s to being among the top economies in the world. This is something we should learn from.”

Crimson clovers bloom in a field near Kezmarok, eastern Slovakia, May 28. EPA-Yonhap

Economic exchanges

He highlighted that most foreign embassies in Korea have a common goal of expanding economic cooperation with Asia's fourth-largest economy.

"Probably the majority, if not all, European embassies here, our focus is also on economic cooperation. This is the biggest chunk of our interests here in Korea," Repovsky said. "The first goal was economic cooperation, the second was political and the third, which I'd like to focus more on, is bringing more Koreans to visit Slovakia."

Slovakia has notably attracted significant Korean investments over the years, a trend that began in 2004 with Kia Motors.

"We were very lucky at that time, you know, that several Korean companies started to look to invest abroad, and we attracted Kia to Slovakia."

This initial investment by Kia spurred further interest from other Korean companies, establishing a robust economic relationship.

"Since then, we are now lucky to host up to 100 Korean companies in Slovakia, mostly in the automobile sector," he added. "Slovakia produces the biggest number of cars per capita in the world. We have five automobile factories including Volkswagen, PSA Citroën, Land Rover, Kia and soon Volvo."

Repovsky also outlined Slovakia's plans to evolve from an assembly industry to one focused on research and development (R&D), particularly in the green economy sector.

"We would like to use the process of changing from combustion engines to electric vehicles, which requires investments in R&D, mobility and the green economy."

Tourists walk in downtown Bratislava, Slovakia, May 20. Reuters-Yonhap

Political cooperation

While economic ties are strong, Repovsky expressed a desire to enhance political cooperation.

"We have a huge pillar of economic cooperation, but political engagement and dialogue are somehow lagging behind," he said. The ambassador aims to create a framework for a strategic partnership that encompasses economic, political, cultural and other fields of cooperation.

"My minister spoke with Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul about a strategic partnership, and we would like to discuss this at the next opportunity. This strategic partnership should frame our relations, highlighting the depth and width of our economic cooperation," he said.

The ambassador underscored the importance of this partnership, noting that Slovakia has similar arrangements with countries like the United States and Germany.

Repovsky also sees potential in sectors beyond the automotive industry.

"What we would like to focus on more is the creation of Slovakia as an R&D investment hub, particularly in robotics. Slovakia ranks among the top 20 countries globally for the number of robots installed in the production industry. " he said. "We are partnering with Yonsei University and our three technical universities in Slovakia to create a consortium dedicated to robotics."

Moreover, he mentioned potential collaborations in medical robotics and other industries.

Despite the robust economic relationship, Slovakia faces a trade imbalance with Korea, a gap the ambassador aims to narrow during his tenure.

"In 2022, imports from Korea to Slovakia were $6 billion, while exports from Slovakia to Korea were around $450 million," Repovsky said.

To address this, he emphasized the importance of introducing Slovak products to the Korean market, including honey and wine.

"We would like to bring more attention to Slovak products," he added.

The ambassador also highlighted innovative Slovak companies which “have niche products that could resonate well in the Korean market.”

In terms of challenges, Repovsky acknowledged the rigorous standards of Korean authorities for imported products.

"It's a process that needs to be done, but sometimes we face very extensive questions about our products," he said.

Addressing the challenge of travel logistics, Repovsky spoke about efforts to facilitate more direct travel routes between Korea and Slovakia.

"I even spoke to the CEO of Korean Air about utilizing their planes to bring more Koreans to Slovakia," he said. "There's no direct flight currently, but we have international airports in Slovakia and Vienna International Airport, which is very close to Bratislava, can also be used."

Tourism statistics, however, show room for growth.

"Overall, less than 1 percent of tourists coming to Slovakia are from Korea," Repovsky said. "In 2022, we had about 6,500 Korean tourists, a figure that we're working hard to increase."

On the topic of cultural exchange, Repovsky was enthusiastic, describing it as "one of the key instruments for diplomats." He expressed a desire to expand cultural presentations, such as bringing Slovak jazz musicians to Korea and showcasing Slovak films at the Busan International Film Festival.

"These activities require resources, which can be a stumbling block," he admitted. "We have roughly 80 embassies worldwide, each asking for more funds to bring musicians and artists to their respective countries."

On a lighter note, Repovsky expressed his fondness for Korean cuisine, particularly kimchi.

“Please continue to produce kimchi,” he said. “I like kimchi personally. Even while I'm here in Korea, I'm eating kimchi with Slovak dishes. This is your tangible product and you should be proud of that.”