Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin, together with a large Israeli business delegation, visited South Korea in July. The trip was the first time in nine years an Israeli president had visited the country.

Highlights of the five-day visit included a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on 15 July. After the meeting, a Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the two countries in the fields of energy and education. At the Blue House, the official residence of the Korean President in Seoul, President Moon hosted his Israeli counterpart for an official lunch.

During their meeting, the Presidents spoke about the growing ties between the two countries, and where the cooperation could be expanded.

The South Korean president opened his remarks with condolences to President Rivlin on the death of Nechama, his wife. The Israeli President thanked him, and said that Nechama had been very eager to meet the President and his respective wife.

Later, President Rivlin invited President Moon and his family to come to Israel on an official visit in the near future.

President Rivlin added that 2018 was a record year for Korean tourists to Israel, with some 45,000 tourists that year alone. But he also stressed that the full potential is not being realized due to the stringent Korean travel warning as regards to Israel, and asked to his Korean counterpart to consider re-examining this warning, which Rivlin feels does not reflect the security situation in Israel.