By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

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Gyeonggi Gov. Kim Dong-yeon met with Estonian Ambassador to Korea Sten Schwede to discuss ways to build a cooperative relationship between Gyeonggi-do and Estonia.

"Estonia is a leading country in digital government, and Gyeonggi-do is interested in utilizing artificial intelligence and advanced technology not only in digital government but also in the lives of its citizens," Kim told Amb. Sten Schwede, who visited the Gyeonggi-do Government Office on March 22. "Gyeonggi-do is striving to become a pioneer not only in Korea but also in the world in the digital field," he said.

"One of my main policies is to make Gyeonggi-do a startup paradise. To this end, we are building the 3rd Pangyo following the 1st and 2nd Pangyo Techno Valley. I think there are many opportunities for cooperation with Estonia in the process of creating Gyeonggi Province as a startup paradise. We look forward to cooperating with Estonia and hope to establish a working group as a result of today's visit."

In response, Amb. Sten Schwede said, "Estonia is a digital powerhouse that has introduced 'e-residency' (the world's first electronic residency system) and is a gateway to the EU market of 500 million people." "I heard that Gyeonggi-do is also a leading region in various technology fields. I think there are many areas where we can cooperate, and I would like to cooperate in the field of culture and arts."

Amb. Stan Schwede was the first ambassador to be appointed after the opening of the Estonian Embassy in Korea in 2020, and since his arrival, he has been meeting with key government officials to discuss ways to foster cooperation between Korea and Estonia in areas such as the digital economy and startup companies.

Estonia, which has recently gained increased interest from Korean tourists, is located in the southeast of Europe's Baltic Sea and is one of the three Baltic states along with Lithuania and Latvia. 

Estonia is known as a leader in digital government, having introduced the electronic citizenship system 'e-residency' in 2014, and is home to the largest number of unicorns (companies valued at more than 1 trillion won) per capita in Europe.