Hamburg has maintained close political, economic and cultural relations with South Korea for decades, which are particularly characterised by the partnership with the port city of Busan. During this time, the country has developed into one of the most important economic nations in the world. Today, South Korea is strong in the fields of AI, semiconductor technology, telecommunications, biotechnology and quantum research. The country is also one of the leading nations in the soft power sector, which is mainly due to the global appeal of the "Hallyu wave", i.e. cultural exports such as K-pop, K-dramas, film, fashion and beauty products.
Hamburg's economy is particularly linked to South Korea through foreign trade, the maritime industry and future technologies. in 2024, First Mayor Dr Peter Tschentscher visited Seoul and Busan to strengthen cooperation in the fields of hydrogen, green shipping and digitalisation. More than 300 companies from Hamburg maintain business relations with South Korea, with around 70 of them having a branch in the country. These include renowned companies such as Hapag-Lloyd, Kühne + Nagel and Beiersdorf, which build important bridges between the two regions in the fields of logistics, shipping and consumer goods.
