The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI, President & CEO Marie Antonia von Schönburg), in cooperation with German Embassy Seoul and the Korean-German Energy Partnership, supported by RWE Renewables, Reinhausen, Skyborn Renewables, TÜV SÜD and BayWa r.e., hosted the 2026 Korean-German Business Forum on Renewable Energy on September 14 at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul.
Held under the theme of “Wind Energy in Action — From Policy Framework to Market Deployment,” the forum brought together over 200 key stakeholders from Korean and German governments, business, finance, and academia to discuss Korea’s evolving wind regulatory frameworks and explore opportunities for deeper bilateral collaboration.
Distinguished speakers included Kookhyun Im, Director General of the Offshore Wind Power Promotion Bureau at Korea’s Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE); Ron Lipka, Head of Division at Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE); Joern Beissert, Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy Seoul; and Marie Antonia von Schönburg, President and CEO of KGCCI.
Rep. Ho-young Ahn, said in a video message, “The Korean-German Business Forum on Renewable Energy provides a valuable opportunity for our two countries to exchange policy and practical experience in the wind energy sector and explore concrete avenues for cooperation. The National Assembly will continue to support a stable policy framework so that Korean-German cooperation can translate into tangible progress in renewable energy deployment and industrial development.”
Dr. Ron Lipka, Head of Division for Energy Partnerships at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), who visited Korea for the event, highlighted the shared challenges facing both countries in his congratulatory remarks:” Today’s agenda reflects the common challenges that Korea and Germany face in developing onshore and offshore wind projects. I believe that by sharing our experiences and ideas, we can identify approaches that support faster and more effective renewable energy deployment in both countries.”
The program featured two main sessions — Bridging the Gap under Government-led Framework-Securing Stable Bidding Volumes, Expanding Deployment through Planned Site Selection and Building the Foundations-Regional Clusters and Workforce Development for Offshore Wind Excellence — followed by a pitching & fishbowl discussion on Unlocking Onshore Wind Potential Repowering Strategies and Community-led Business Models. Leading experts from the MCEE, BMWE, RWE Renewables Korea, Skyborn Renewables Korea, Korea Electric Power Corporation, Ocean Energy Pathway, TÜV SÜD Korea, Ulsan Technopark, Hanyang University, Agora Energiewende, Solutions for our Climate, SK Eternix, Baywa r.e. Korea, and Revent Energy shared their insights and expertise.
The forum concluded with a pitching and fishbowl session on repowering strategies and community-led business models for onshore wind. Yookeun Kwak, Wind Power Development Team Leader at SK eternix, presented on the role of onshore wind in Korea’s energy transition, while Yunseop Keum, Head of Wind Projects South Korea at BayWa r.e. Korea, addressed social acceptance and local business models, and Junchul Kim, Head of Business Development at Revent Energy, pitched on realizing Korea’s onshore wind energy potential. The fishbowl discussion that followed was moderated by Songi Park, Attorney at Law at SFOC, and explored how repowering aging onshore installations and engaging host communities directly can unlock additional capacity without new-site permitting delays.
Jihee Jeong, Chair of the Secretariat of Korean-German Energy Partnership in Korea, remarked, “The Korean-German Energy Partnership has steadily evolved into the most important platform for energy cooperation between Korea and Germany. It brings together policymakers, companies and experts from both countries and helps turn regular exchange into deeper and more practical cooperation.”
