Go to contents

Pres. Moon uses German after summit with Chancellor Merkel

Pres. Moon uses German after summit with Chancellor Merkel

Posted July. 07, 2017 07:09,   

Updated July. 07, 2017 07:37

한국어

“Vielen Dank (Thank you very much)”

President Moon Jae-in used some German words during a joint press conference after a summit meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Wednesday (local time). He opened his remark with “Guten Abend (Good Evening)” and closed it with “I wish for the success of G20 in Hamburg on Friday. Vielen Dank.” After President Moon spoke German, Chancellor Merkel smiled and said “Danke schoen (Thank you).”

When President Moon met members of the German medical team sent to Korea after the Korean War in the run-up to the summit, he wrote in a guestbook in German, “We will never forget your help.”

 

President Moon’s use of German language played a role in making both leaders closer. An unusual scene was unfolded when the two leaders left the Chancellor’s office after the summit. While President Moon walked about 100 meters towards the fences of the Chancellor’s office and shook hands with Koreans living in Germany who were waiting for him, Chancellor Merkel walked closely behind and watched him. “It means President Moon received a special welcome by Chancellor Merkel," said presidential spokesman Park Soo-hyun.



Keun-Hyung Yoo noel@donga.com