Yonsei President Jeong Kap-young Meets Taiwanese President Ma Ying Jeou

-Strengthening Relationships between Yonsei and Taiwan

From October 30 to November 2, Yonsei President Jeong Kap-young met with Taiwan’s President Ma Ying Jeou and other political leaders to discuss partnerships between Taiwan and Yonsei. In his speech, President Ma said: “Currently, there are a total of 153 countries which waive visa requirements for Taiwanese citizens. When I first took office, there were only fifty-four countries who did so. During this time, there has also been an increased number of exchanges between China and Taiwan.”

President Jeong discussed recent changes at Yonsei with the delegation, emphasizing the university’s global vision. He also mentioned the fact that “Yonsei University is very closely located to Han Sung Taiwanese School. I hope this visit inspires Chinese Koreans to be more aware of important educational issues.” During the visit, President Jeong presented President Ma with a commemorative plaque praising his achievements in office, which include initiatives related to education, politics, economics, and diplomacy. In particular, President Jeong highlighted the warm relations enjoyed between the people of Taiwan and Korea.

Meeting with Democratic Progressive Party’s Tsai Ing-wen

On November 2, President Jeong met with Tsai Ing-wen, leader of Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party. The two discussed ways in which Korea and Taiwan can forge partnerships in areas such as biotechnology, green industries, and the defense industry. President Jeong also praised Taiwan’s role as Asia’s Silicon Valley.   

Later in the day, President Jeong paid a visit to Taichung, Taiwan’s third-largest city, meeting there with the mayor. They discussed having more Taiwanese students study in Korean universities and a potential partnership between Yonsei and Hsinchu Science and Industrial Park.