[INTERVIEW] Slovenia welcomes Korea's efforts to enhance human security

Ambassador of Slovenia to Korea Jernej Muller speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the Slovenian Embassy in central Seoul, April 18. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

First Slovenian ambassador to Korea tries to gain presence

By Kwon Mee-yoo

As Korea bolsters its role as the chair country of the advisory board of ITF Enhancing Human Security (ITF), Ambassador of Slovenia to Korea Jernej Muller shared his thoughts on strengthening the relationship between the two countries focusing on their joint efforts in security, technology partnerships and the possibility of a united front in the United Nations Security Council in the near future.

The ITF Enhancing Human Security, formerly known as the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance, is a non-profit, humanitarian organization founded by the Slovenian government in March 1998.

"From a historical point of view, why we established it was because we were a part of Yugoslavia once. In the Western Balkans, there were wars after the dissolution of Yugoslavia and remnants of landmines and unexploded explosives were left. So this was one of the concrete efforts that we could make to help not only the countries, but the people themselves," Muller said, explaining the origin of the ITF during an interview with The Korea Times at the Slovenian Embassy in Itaewon, central Seoul, April 18.

He noted that Korea is one of the top donors to the ITF, contributing approximately $380,000 in 2022, with a cumulative contribution of $2.2 million since 2000, while the Asian country will increase its presence as the chair of the ITF's Board of Advisors this year.

"(Korea's high donation to the ITF) is one of the reasons why the director of the ITF visited Seoul last year (on the occasion of) the opening of the embassy here and he met all the decision makers in Korea and presented them with the report with everything that ITF engaged with the help of Korean funds. With help of Korea, the ITF is primarily engaged in the activities with regards to Serbia, Lebanon and Palestine and also it's starting to get involved in Ukraine."

He said Korea's chairmanship is a valuable opportunity to enhance bilateral cooperation with Slovenia and contribute to improving the lives of those affected by wars.

"The role of Korea as the chair country of the advisory board is to advise the management of the ITF the areas that ITF should focus on in the future and also to get as much understanding and support from other members to increase the donations. It's a very important role in the sense that what we are doing right now is to increase awareness around the world that landmines are still a very important and very dangerous issue," Muller said.

"I think it is also a very good step towards enhancing bilateral cooperation between Korea and in Slovenia, not focusing only on economic cooperation, but working on where we can do more together in contributing to better lives of people."

The ambassador explained the ITF's efforts in physical rehabilitation with prosthetics and psychosocial rehabilitation to help victims regain a sense of purpose in their lives.

"Slovenia is very focused on bees and on producing honey. This is also a significant part of the ITF's post-rehabilitation activities to educate people in producing honey and beekeeping so that they have something that they can work on," he said.

Ambassador of Slovenia to Korea Jernej Muller, center, takes part in the Lend Your Leg campaign to raise awareness on mine clearance and the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action with Korean ambassadors, April 4. Courtesy of Embassy of Slovenia in Korea

Beginning of stronger ties

Muller is Slovenia's first resident ambassador to Korea and opened the central European country's embassy in Seoul last year, signaling a deepening relationship between the two nations.

Slovenia is a small country with a population of 2 million, but its strategic location connects four major European geographic regions: the Alps, the Dinarides, the Pannonian Plain and the Mediterranean.

Korea and Slovenia established diplomatic relations in 1992, following its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. However, it took three decades for Slovenia to open a resident embassy in Seoul, while the Korean ambassador in Vienna continues to cover Ljubljana.

Muller said Slovenia's intention to strengthen political and economic cooperation with Korea prompted the opening of an embassy in Seoul, becoming the third Slovenian embassy in Asia.

"The other one is because South Korea is very much engaged in the Indo-Pacific and, from a practical point of view, I think it's also good to be based in Seoul and try to learn as much as possible from the Korean side and their experience in the Indo-Pacific. I can say that the Korean Indo-Pacific strategy is very similar to the European strategy for the Indo-Pacific and we share the same goals and the ways to achieve these goals. I think that this is an opportunity for strengthened cooperation," he said.

He also assured Slovenia's support for North Korea's denuclearization.

"We are definitely one of the countries that is very much against the nuclear program of North Korea and are looking for ways to do more in order to prevent it… We are very like-minded with South Korea," Muller said.

Slovenia is particularly interested in digital transformation and artificial intelligence and is home to the UNESCO International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence.

Muller said the Slovenian embassy's primary goal is to raise awareness about Slovenia and the opportunities it offers within the Korean business community.

"At the same time, we are trying to do similar with regards to Slovenian businesses and the Slovenian economy and promote that they are more present in Korea. From Slovenia, the interest is very strong. Our research centers and institutes, especially on artificial intelligence, would very much like to strengthen cooperation with Korean institutes and associations," the ambassador said.

"Slovenia is very good in automotive industry, not in the sense that we produce cars, but in the sense that we produce automotive parts. We are very much engaged with the German carmaking industry now, but we would also like to expand into more with the Korean car industry."

Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary on an island in the middle of Lake Bled in Slovenia / gettyimagesbank

Despite efforts by both governments to strengthen ties, the general public in Korea and Slovenia still have relatively limited knowledge of each other's countries.

In early April, a Slovenian backpacking couple posted a video on TikTok showing their unsuccessful attempt to hitchhike from Seoul to Busan, sparking controversy as they claimed to have "experienced the worst hitchhiking in Korea."

The ambassador said he was notified of the video later and acknowledged the cultural difference, as hitchhiking is a common practice in Slovenia to meet new people, while it is not usual in Korea.

"From my personal point of view, my experience with Korea and (the experience of) the whole of our embassy staff here is that Koreans are very hospitable and willing to help," Muller said.

The ambassador believes that travel is an excellent way to raise awareness about another country and hopes tourism between the two countries will return to levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic. Korean dramas, such as "Dear My Friends," "Black Knight: The Man Who Guards Me" and "Memories of the Alhambra," were filmed in Slovenia, leading to a surge in Korean tourists to the country, with the number reaching 150,000 a year before the pandemic.

"After the COVID ends, with opening of Slovenia and embassy here, we are trying to do as much as possible, especially with the Korean public, to reengage them to visit Slovenia," he said.

"Beside the Slovenian beauty of nature, one of our highlights is that we are an alpine country. Our highest peak, Mount Triglav, is 2,864 meters tall. Beside the Alps, it's a one-and-a-half-hour drive to the seaside, and to the Atlantic, and the Mediterranean Sea. So it's the (geographical) diversity we can offer."

He added that Slovenia offers a variety of activities for vacationers.

"You can do hiking, you can do biking and you can do all sorts of other sports activities. Because 61 percent of our country is covered by forests, there are ample opportunities for anyone who would like to spend active holidays in Slovenia."

Muller is also trying to arrange a ministerial level visit from Ljubljana to Seoul.

"(The foreign ministers of Korea and Slovenia) met during the Munich Security Conference and had a very good conversation. And they agreed to look for a date for the Slovenian foreign minister's visit to Seoul... The main focus will be exchanging views on the current geopolitical situation and finding ways to cooperate with regards to the Indo-Pacific, to strengthen economic cooperation and to strengthen cooperation in research and innovation," the ambassador said.