Estonia, Forum, Legislation, Technology

Photo: valitsus.ee

"Estonia and South Korea are united both by similar values as well as similar challenges. We are rapidly developing digital societies and e-governance pioneers, which is also why we belong to the Digital 5 network with the United Kingdom, Israel and New Zealand. The stronger we, as e-nations, sense cyber threats," Ratas said.

Development of digital society more broadly will be discussed by representatives of Estonia, South Korea and other nations of Digital 5 already at a summit in Wellington, New Zealand on Feb. 21-22. Estonia will be represented at the summit by Minister of Entrepreneurship and IT Urve Palo.

The prime ministers of Estonia and South Korea agreed that trade relations between the two countries need to be intensified.

"Estonia's open economy and transparent investment environment definitely are of interest for South Korean investors. Cooperation with Gyeonggi province, which supports information technology companies, creates preconditions for growth in investments," Ratas said.

South Koreans have also well received the Estonian e-residency program, which has received approximately 600 applications from that country. From the end of last year e-residents are able to get their electronic ID-card at a visa center in Seoul, the first location of issuance of Estonian e-resident digital IDs worldwide.

The digital ID center for e-residents in Seoul, where the Estonian Police and Border Guard Board issues digital IDs for e-residents via a private enterprise as a pilot project, was opended by Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid last week.

The two prime ministers also discussed the complex security situation in the Asia-Pacific region, sanctions on North Korea and possibilities to bring down the tensions through dialogue.