Two Shrimps That Became Dragons - The Rise of the Two Koreas and the Role of Germany and the USA

The N.C. Zeitgeist Foundation is honored to welcome Dr. Bernhard J. Seliger, one of the world’s foremost experts on the Korean Peninsula, for an insightful discussion on the remarkable transformation of North and South Korea and the geopolitical forces that continue to shape Northeast Asia.

Once described as “two shrimps among whales,” the Korean Peninsula has become one of the world’s most strategically significant regions. South Korea has emerged as a global leader in technology, manufacturing, culture, and democratic governance, while North Korea remains one of the world’s most isolated and militarized states. Their contrasting paths continue to influence international security, economic competition, and the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.

Drawing on more than two decades of living and working in Korea—including extensive engagement with both South Korea and North Korea—Dr. Seliger will examine the historical, political, and economic developments that produced these dramatically different outcomes. He will also explore the critical roles played by Germany and the United States in supporting stability, security, and the long-term prospects for peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula.

The discussion will offer unique perspectives on Germany’s experience with reunification, the evolving U.S.–Korea alliance, China’s growing regional influence, and what the future may hold for one of the world’s most consequential geopolitical flashpoints.

This timely conversation will provide business leaders, policymakers, academics, and globally minded citizens with a deeper understanding of Korea’s extraordinary journey and its growing importance to the future of international affairs.

Guest Speaker

Dr. Bernhard J. Seliger is the Representative of the Hanns Seidel Foundation for the United States and Canada, based in Washington, D.C. Previously, he served for more than twenty years as the Foundation’s Resident Representative in Seoul, where he advised governmental, academic, and civil society institutions on Korean unification, regional security, and Northeast Asian geopolitics. A respected scholar and author, Dr. Seliger has implemented numerous capacity-building projects in North Korea and has published extensively on Korean economic development, regional cooperation, and international relations.