German Embassy Deputy Ambassador Joern Beissert speaks during the Borussia Dortmund event in Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kim Hyun-bin
Football can serve as a powerful bridge between nations, a senior German diplomat said during an event hosted by German football club Borussia Dortmund to foster youth talent in Seoul, highlighting the sport’s role in strengthening ties between Korea and Germany.
Addressing the gathering, Joern Beissert, the deputy chief of mission at the German Embassy, praised Borussia Dortmund — commonly known as BVB — for its storied role in German football and its burgeoning appeal among South Korean fans.
“Borussia Dortmund is the club that keeps the Bundesliga interesting,” Beissert said, referring to the league BVB plays in. “Without it, it would be much more boring.”
Beissert said Dortmund enjoys strong support not only in Germany but also internationally, including in Korea.
“I know that they also have a lot of fans here in Korea,” he said. “The fact that so many of you are here tonight shows that the name Borussia Dortmund is also growing in Korea.”
Reflecting on football’s broader significance, the deputy ambassador said the sport plays an important role in connecting people and cultures.
“As an embassy responsible for international relations, I think it is quite obvious that football connects people,” he said. “This is especially true for the relationship between Germany and Korea.”
He also pointed to the long history of Korean players making an impact in German football, noting that many German fans still remember Cha Bum-kun, the legendary Korean striker who played in the Bundesliga in the 1980s.
BVB Football Academy General Manager Christian Diercks speaks during a Borussia Dortmund event in Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Kim Hyun-bin
The event in Seoul brought together figures from both countries’ football communities to discuss youth development and cooperation in the sport.
Former Korean national and BVB player Park Joo-ho and BVB and former German national player Jorg Heinrich joined industry professionals from the Korean Football Association and the K League to exchange ideas on developing youth football talent.
The gathering included participants from the public and business communities, providing a platform for cooperation between the Korean and German football sectors while expanding Borussia Dortmund’s presence in the Korean market.
During the event, a Borussia Dortmund official outlined the club’s global youth development strategy and its growing interest in Korea.
“We are very much interested in Korea as a football club,” Christian Diercks, general manager of the BVB Football Academy said. “This is why we will be coming here regularly in the coming months and years.”
Borussia Dortmund currently operates football academy programs in 52 countries, working with around 30,000 young players worldwide, from children as young as four to under-19 youth teams.
The club’s international initiatives include football schools, partnerships with local clubs and community outreach programs aimed at supporting children in disadvantaged environments. Borussia Dortmund also maintains overseas offices in Shanghai, Singapore and New York to coordinate its international activities.
Diercks said the club’s youth development philosophy focuses not only on producing talented footballers but also on helping young people grow as individuals.
“For us as a club it is very important to shape the future,” Diercks said. “We are not only trying to develop professional footballers but also to help young people develop as human beings.”
Looking ahead, the club said it hopes to expand youth football initiatives in Korea through partnerships with local organizations and businesses.
“We cannot do this alone,” the Diercks said. “We need partners who want to work with us to support young people and contribute to society.”
