In 2004, the European Parliament (EP) established a special delegation for relations with the Korean Peninsula. Since then, the delegation has maintained ties with both halves of the peninsula – the Republic of Korea in the South and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in the North. While the partnership with South Korea have been blossoming and the mutual contacts between the EP and ROK’s National Assembly have been growing, the relationship with North Korea has become strained over time.

What is the role for the European parliamentary diplomacy on the Korean peninsula? How can the EP promote deepening of the partnership between Brussels and Seoul, particularly in the light of Covid-19 pandemic? What are the ways in which the delegation can contribute to improving the security situation on the peninsula and engagement with Pyongyang?

Mr. Lukas Mandl MEP, the chair of the EP’s delegation for relations with the Korean peninsula, will give a keynote lecture which will be followed by a discussion to answer these and other questions.

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Guest Speaker

Lukas Mandl Member of the European Parliament (Group of the European People’s Party), Chair of the Delegation for relations with the Korean peninsula

Lukas Mandl is an Austrian politician of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) and member of the European Parliament. From 2008 to 2017, Mr Mandl was a Member of the regional parliament of Lower Austria and Chair of its Committee on European affairs. He was Secretary-General of the Employees' Organisation of the Austrian People's Party from 2010 to 2012. From 2015 to 2017, he was also Deputy Mayor of his hometown Gerasdorf. In 2017 he became a member of the European Parliament. During his first term, he served on the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety as well as the Committee on Petitions. Following his re-election in 2019, he currently serves on the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, the Committee on Foreign Affairs and is Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence. In 2020, he joined the Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes in the European Union.

Since 2020, Lukas Mandl is chair of the parliament’s delegation for relations with the Korean Peninsula.

 

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Time:

Tuesday, June 1st 2021

10:30 - 12:00 PM (CEST)

Venue:

Webex (online)