In cooperation with the Korea Institute for National Reunification (KINU), the National Youth Policy Institute (NYPI) and their umbrella organization, the Research Council on Unification Policy (RCUP), the Hanns-Seidel-Foundation Korea conducted a field study under the topic “20 years of German Reunification and the Lessons for Korean Unification” to Germany from May 1st-7th 2010. The delegation of five was attended by Dr. Jae-Jean Suh (president of KINU and RCUP), Dr. Myung-Sook Lee (president of NYPI), researchers Dr. Soo-Young Choi (KINU, RCUP) and Dr. Kyu-Chang Lee (KINU), as well as Mr. Young-Soo Kim, project manager of HSS Korea.

During the first three days, the group visited various museums in the capital Berlin and a Government-funded organization devoted to the examination and reappraisal of the Communist dictatorship in East Germany. They spent one full day with the organization and listened to lectures on the peaceful revolution and the judiciary rehabilitation and examination with the GDR and the injustice in the Communist regime by Dr. Jens Hüttmann and Dr. Christoph Schäfgen under the main topic “Oppositions in the GDR, ‘die Wende’ and the reappraisal of the Communist regime”.

On Tuesday, the group proceeded to Dresden, where they were welcomed at the city hall by first mayor Dirk Hilbert. The city of Dresden is an exemplar of a successful economic development after the reunification. Therefore, visiting the city was vital, as the group researched on constructive ideas and examples for the unification of the Korean peninsula.

The delegation went to Munich on the same day and was welcomed at the central office of the Hanns-Seidel-Foundation by director Dr. Peter Witterauf. They spent the first part of the day with lectures at the HSS on ‘Foreign Political Aspects of the German Reunification’ and ‘20 Years of Reunification’ conducted by Prof. Dr. Meier-Walser (director of the HSS Academy for Politics and Current Affairs), and Eduard Lintner (Former federal vice Secretary of interior and former federal assemblyman). In his occupation, Mr. Lintner has first-hand experience of the work towards reunification and delivered practical and inspiring examples.

The delegation spent the afternoon at the Catholic University of Eichstätt, where the professors Prof. Dr. Johannes Schneider and Prof. Dr. Klaus Stüwe concluded the study group’s trip with lectures and discussions on economical and constitutional law issues of the reunification in Germany.

Visit the Government-funded organization devoted to the examination and reappraisal of the Communist dictatorship in East Germany

Visit the Catholic University of Eichstätt