It was 2017 when I joined the STO in Korea and I still remember the first meetings in Switzerland introducing about the Korean ecosystem and initiatives; with exception of life science sector, connections and knowledge were limited, and interest was low. In front of an almost white page, our team decided to turn the challenge in the opportunity to write a new story, shaping the bilateral cooperation through the creation of tailored programs connecting students, researchers, startups and big firms. Among others, the Swiss-Korean Innovation Week was established in 2018 with the goal to launch every year new collaborations around themes of mutual interest. Recently, it became the lighthouse event of our embassy, a common project to all sections generating high impact through the Swiss and Korean communities, in terms of presences and connections. How is it linked to my vision for the next years? Well, they will be crucial to transform the leveraged enthusiasm and ideas in concrete outcomes. Our team is motivated to accomplish this mission. Stay tuned :)

With 98% of fully digitalized population, I would say that #ConnectingTomorrow could be a Korean slogan. Jokes aside, future is now in South Korea and robots serve meals in traditional restaurants. It is here, in this contrast between the fast economic and technological development, and the attachment to the tradition, that innovation happens. Our team is eager to bring Swiss students, researchers and entrepreneurs to discover the so called ‘Miracle of the Han River’. In addition, the soft power of the K-wave worldwide shows how Korean today’s trends have been anticipating many global tomorrow’s ones. I would definitely say that South Korea can’t be missed as a partner in the mission of #ConnectingTomorrow.