◼ Highlighting the Value of the Baltic Region and ICT Innovation under the Theme “Estonia: the Nordic Tiger”
The Jean Monnet EU Centre at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (Director: Bongchul Kim), in cooperation with the Baltic Research Center of the Institute of EU Studies, hosted a special lecture on April 14 featuring H.E. Tanel Sepp, Ambassador of Estonia to the Republic of Korea. The lecture was held under the theme “Estonia: the Nordic Tiger.”
The event was the second session of the three-part lecture series “On the Frontline of Freedom: A New European Order through the Eyes of Baltic Diplomats.” Students and members of the public interested in the Baltic States attended the event, which provided an opportunity to reaffirm the strategic value and academic significance of the Baltic region.
In his welcoming remarks, Director Bongchul Kim introduced the significance of the lecture, noting that although Estonia is a small country in terms of size, it plays an important role in shaping Europe’s emerging order.
Ambassador Tanel Sepp then provided a detailed overview of the background and achievements of Estonia’s ICT innovation, including its startup ecosystem, which has produced the highest number of unicorn companies per capita in the world; the introduction of the world’s first nationwide electronic voting system; the e-Residency program; and blockchain-based government administration systems.
Following the lecture, an active Q&A session and discussion took place on a wide range of topics, including AI education in Estonia, opportunities for Koreans to enter the Estonian market, and Estonia’s startup visa program.
Meanwhile, the final lecture of the series will be held on April 28 at 6:00 p.m. in Room 1211 of the Humanities Building on the Seoul Campus. Ms. Alina Burauskaite of the Embassy of Lithuania to the Republic of Korea will deliver a special lecture under the theme “Discover Lithuania: History, Culture and Modern Identity.”
