By Lee Kap-soo

The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI, President & CEO Martin Henkelmann) and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Seoul held the 3rd Korean-German Climate and Environment Conference on August 24 at the Conrad Hotel Seoul, South Korea. 

Under the theme of “Decarbonization in the Industry - Solutions for Carbon Neutrality in Industry Sector”, the event marked a significant milestone in fostering cross-border cooperation to address pressing environmental challenges.

The conference drew the participation of more than 70 key officials and experts from Korean and German companies and institutions showcasing the best practice cases and fostering future collaboration to achieve a carbon-neutral future of the industrial sector. Among the notable attendees were German Ambassador-designate to Korea Georg Schmidt, Young-joon Joo, Deputy Minister for Industrial Policy, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and Tino Hildebrand, Vice President of Siemens Korea.

The event, conducted also virtually online, offered a high level of expertise from Korean and German experts from different industries. This included Thomas Choi, President, EVONIK Korea, Han Sol Jung, Senior Researcher, Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering, Sangmin Lee, General Manager, POSCO, Charles Lee, CEO, Low Carbon Co. Ltd, Han chul Lee, Director of Industrial Environment Division, MOTIE, Claudia Bulgheroni, Senior Project Manager, Meo Carbon Solutions GmbH.

“Green energy helps us to establish a resilient, secure and affordable energy system” said Ambassador-designate Schmidt. “Korean and German companies are key providers of innovative technology for the global energy transition,” he added.

KGCCI President & CEO Martin Henkelmann emphasized the importance of developing solutions through collaboration and said, “When joining forces from Korean and German companies, they share knowledge, strengths, and expertise. By working jointly and by including all stakeholders from both countries, we will advance faster, bolder, and more holistically.”

About the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry:

The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI) has been serving as an official representative of German Business in Korea since its foundation in 1981. It is the second-largest foreign chamber of commerce in Korea with a network of around 500 members. As the first point of contact for German and Korean companies exploring business opportunities in each country, KGCCI and its subsidiary KGCCI DEinternational serve as a communication channel and offer professional services to support market entry and expansion.

The services include, among others, market research, business partner matching, trade fair business, delegation trips, and investment promotion. Additionally, KGCCI supports governmental initiatives such as the Korean-German Energy Partnership and contributes to Korean society through its various initiatives such as Ausbildung (Dual Vocational Training) and WIR (Women in Korea) Mentorship.

KGCCI belongs to the global German Chamber Network Abroad (AHK) with more than 150 German Chamber offices in 93 countries and over 50,000 members worldwide. Its umbrella organization is the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) with offices in Berlin and Brussels, serving the 79 Chambers in Germany (IHK) and their 3.6 million German member companies.