President: South Korea an important partner for Estonia

TALLINN - Estonian President Alar Karis emphasized during a meeting on Monday in Kadriorg with Woo Won-shik, speaker of South Korea's National Assembly, that South Korea is an important partner for Estonia in Asia, one that shares similar values and with whom Estonia seeks to deepen cooperation in the fields of economy, defense, and education.

The meeting focused on the growing diversity of cooperation between the two countries.

"Now that both countries have active embassies, we can expect closer communication and joint projects -- from economic cooperation and investment to defense, culture, tourism, and education," Karis said.

The president noted that the high value placed on education in both societies forms a strong foundation for advancing Estonian-South Korean cooperation, especially between universities. Karis also gave the Korean speaker an overview of Estonia's AI education initiative launched this spring, which aims to equip young people and their teachers with the skills needed in a fast-evolving, tech-driven world.

"Artificial intelligence has permanently changed the world, and education systems must keep pace with these changes," said the head of state. He stressed that the development of AI cannot be ignored -- its opportunities must be embraced.

On international security, the two discussed developments on the Korean Peninsula, Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, and its impact on regional security.

"The large-scale attacks of recent days clearly show that the Kremlin has no interest in a ceasefire or achieving peace. This, in turn, demonstrates the importance of providing Ukraine with strong and lasting support," Karis added. They also discussed the risks posed by Russia's shadow fleet.