(Unofficial Translation)

Grüßgott, Good day. I am grateful for the Mayor’s very warm welcome remarks. It is my great pleasure to visit Vienna, a center of politics, culture and religion in Europe and a city with a rich history and traditions. I appreciate Mayor and Governor Michael Ludwig and the City Council members for the warm hospitality they extended to me and my delegation.  

Its citizens’ community spirit has transformed Vienna into one of the world’s best places to live. Forests, urban farms and parks occupy 50 percent of Vienna’s total land area. The city also ranks first in the world in terms of green space per person. This is a global best practice model we are truly envious of and want to emulate.

The citizens of Vienna overcame plague in the 17th century with that same community spirit. They improved hygiene in the city and built a special hospital to care for elderly and weak patients to combat the infectious disease. The Plague Column that Vienna erected after overcoming the Great Plague has become a symbol of hope for humanity during the fight against COVID-19.

Koreans love Vienna as much as they do Mozart. They are also very fond of the waltz “Tales from the Vienna Woods” by Johann Strauss II. Seeing how refreshing and green Vienna is today, I can sense the inspiration behind that beautiful melody. I hope Koreans will once again visit Vienna in numbers as large as those before the COVID-19 outbreak.

With the Mayor’s inclusive policy, Vienna is leaping closer to becoming a city of peace and coexistence. Wise steps are moving Vienna beyond the shock of last year’s terrorist attack, and now it is leading the way in the fields of urban regeneration and smart cities. I believe that Vienna will continue to advance and prosper thanks to the Mayor, who was born and raised here and has a natural love for his hometown and innate leadership abilities. 

I look forward to more active exchanges and cooperation between Vienna and Korea’s local governments going forward. I would like to ask for your attention to and support for the Korean community in Vienna.

I express my gratitude once again to the Mayor and City Council for their hospitality. I wish Vienna tremendous success and its citizens good health and happiness.  

Vielen Dank, thank you.