Akiva Tor, ambassador of Israel to Korea, speaks with the Korea JoongAng Daily on March 14 at the diplomatic residence in Seoul. [PARK SANG-MOON]There’s no mistaking where you’re standing when you enter the Israeli residence in Seoul.Like windows looking in, landscape paintings of Mounts Tabor and Hermon, the Golan Heights and Tiberias decorate the walls on one side, while the other end is decorated with more modern expressions of the story of Absalom from the Bible and the ports of Haifa and Jaffa.The creators behind the works speak for the past and present of Israel, for they include Leo Ray, the artist who made Aliyah from Lithuania, landscape artist Ludwig Blum who fared from the Czech Republic, American-born Israeli artist Ivan Schwebel and sculptor and painter Menashe Kadishman known for his sheep motifs.“When Israel was established, Jews came from all over the world — they came from Arab countries, they came from Eastern Europe, they came from Latin America, they came from North Africa,” said Akiva Tor, ambassador of Israel to Korea, speaking at the residence on March 14 on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Israel-Korea relations."All of the widespread Jewish communities have always been in correspondence and in contact with each other throughout history.”Such was evident in the house — a menorah stood on the fireplace, a plate of hamantaschen cookies for Purim, a Jewish holiday that was to begin later that week, was ready on the table, and a full set of the Babylonian Talmud and books on the history of Zionism and modern Israeli literature filled the bookshelves in the house.But placed in between were also objects clearly not Israeli in its nature, like a gilt depiction of the Grand Mosque of Abu Dhabi, placed next to the menorah.“That was a gift from the U.A.E. ambassador,” said Tor, recalling the time he hosted an iftar meal for the ambassadors of Muslim countries at peace with Israel.The U.A.E. became the third Arab country to normalize ties with Israel when it did so in 2020, following Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. Leaders of Israel, Egypt and the U.A.E. hosted their first trilateral summit in March.It’s something the top Israeli envoy in Seoul envisions for Israel-Korea relations as well.“We should be moving forward a triangle of economic cooperation — Israel, Korea, U.A.E. — where each part of the triangle brings something,” he said. “Israel brings innovation, Korea brings high-tech manufacturing, U.A.E. brings finance and a unique green sensibility focused on water conservation and clean energy. All of the elements are in place for us to be working together.”The celebration of the 60th anniversary comes with a number of milestones to count, including the successful vaccine swap last year, which was the world’s first ever, and the signing of the bilateral free trade agreement last May, Korea’s first with a Middle Eastern nation and Israel’s first with an Asian country.Asked to sum up where the two countries could be headed for the next 60 years, Tor put the relations into rather relatable terms.“I would say that we’ve been dating, Korea and Israel,” he said after giving the question a thought. “It’s time to get married.”The following are edited excerpts of the interview.On top of a fireplace at the Israeli diplomatic residence in Seoul is a menorah and a gift from the U.A.E. embassy depicting the Grand Mosque of Abu Dhabi. [ESTHER CHUNG]Q : Israel and Korea established ties officially in 1962, but countries oftentimes have significant exchanges before tying the knot. What were some for Korea and Israel?A : The Korean conflict looms very large in Israel’s national self-identification. Both countries were declared formally in 1948. Israel finished its war of independence in 1949, and shortly afterwards the [1950-53] Korean War broke out. So when the Israeli government had to decide where it stood on the Korean conflict, it really brought about a process of sharpening Israel’s international orientation into unambiguously pro-West. David Ben-Gurion wanted to send soldiers to the Korean conflict, [but] in the end, Israel sent medical supplies of about $100,000 at the time.Q : Sixty years from then, Korea and Israel have signed their FTA, conducted a successful vaccine swap and both gained global attention for their Covid-19 policies. But how did it go from 1962 to today?A : We had some good parts, and we had some less good parts. Israel opened an embassy [in Seoul] in 1964, but Korea did not open an embassy in Israel. Our Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan made an awful diplomatic decision. He closed the Israeli Embassy in 1978 in Seoul for what was called budgetary reasons. It turned out to be a big mistake for us, because when Korea’s economic potential became very evident already during the '80s, we had a hard time convincing the Korean government to reopen the embassy. They were concerned about how Arab states would react. And in fact we weren’t able to open the embassy again until 1992. The good parts are that our relations are 60 years old and that the countries see each other, in each other. In other words, both are ancient and new nation states. Korea is even more ancient than the Jewish people. Israel lost its independence in 70 A.D., Korea in the 19th century. But we regained sovereignty in modern political form in the same year. I think that both countries see themselves as countries who overcame incredible adversity. Israel, the deep tragedy of the Jewish people in World War II, destruction of European Jewry in the Holocaust. Korea, the horror of the Korean War and the huge loss of life here. Both were young states that went through great economic hardship in their first decades, and without natural resources, they basically built the countries with their 10 fingers. I think both countries see each other as nations of destiny. Yoo Myung-hee, drector general for FTA negotiation at Korea's Trade Ministry, right, and Amir Peretz, Israel's minister of economy, left, sign the Korea-Israel free trade agreement at Lotte Hotel Seoul on May 12, 2021. [NEWS]Q : The Israel-Korea FTA is ready to be ratified by both legislatures. Do you think the agreement reflects well where the two countries are headed on the trade and investment front?A : The Israeli and Korean economies are both extremely dynamic, but they don’t compete [with each other]. Korea does amazing technological manufacturing, whereas Israel is an innovation powerhouse. Israel is No. 3 in the world after the United States and China in terms of the number on Nasdaq listings. The potentiality for what we can do for each other is so clear. [For instance,] Israel makes the disruptive code that is required for autonomous vehicles, for which Korea makes the high-tech hardware including the chips. But the trade statistics are not what they should be today, and there is great potentiality for us to do more together.Q : President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol has called for a need to strengthen the nation’s pre-emptive strike capacity. Israel’s defense system is often cited by experts worldwide when it comes to pre-emptive strike capacity. How did you see Yoon’s security policies, and where is the bilateral cooperation on defense today?A : The security dynamics of Israel and Korea are not the same. Nevertheless, we are probably the only two democracies facing a very significant missile threat with a nuclear dimension. In the case of Korea, it’s North Korean missiles and nuclear weapons. In the case of Israel we’re looking at Iran, which does not have nuclear capabilities, but it wants to, and is able to launch satellites and has very strong missile capacity. I think it means that Korea and Israel need to look to each other to create together the missile defense systems that we need in order to defend ourselves.Q : Can you give more specifics on what kinds of defense systems the two countries are working on together?A : Both Korea and Israel are looking at an ICBM [intercontinental ballistic missile] threat, an intermediate missile threat and short-range threat on cities. Honestly I can’t think of any other country looking at it from the same level. Israel has a very significant missile shield, which is multi-phase, and Korea also has developed and is developing these capacities. It would only be natural for us to be working together on these kinds of things. The Israeli Iron Dome missile defence system, left, intercepts rockets, right, fired by the Hamas movement towards southern Israel from Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip as seen in the sky above the Gaza Strip overnight on May 14, 2021. [AFP/YONHAP]Q : The chair of the National Assembly’s foreign affairs committee is visiting Israel with the CEO of Birthright Israel Foundation as we speak. Do you think the birthright trips are something that Korea could benchmark for its overseas diaspora like Koryoin?A : One of the meetings Rep. Lee Kwang-jae held in Israel was with the CEO of Birthright, which is a groundbreaking program to offer every young Jewish person between 18 and 26 a free 10-day visit to the State of Israel as a gift of the Jewish people. It’s an action of reaching out to our diaspora and saying to them, you are part of us. It costs [the foundation] about $3,000 per participant. If you want young Koreans and Jews around the world to maintain their identity and a sense of feeling towards their home country, then you ought to do something like this.Q : There has yet to be a visit from a Korean president to Israel. Any updates on this?A : Several Israeli presidents and prime ministers of Israel have visited Korea. I very much hope that we’ll see a visit of a Korean president, a Korean foreign minister or defense minister to Israel soon, because at some level, high-level political visits are very important for maintaining close relations between two countries. I really feel that for Korea, deepening of the relationship with Israel is net gain. There’s no political cost to be paid — the Arab boycott is over, it doesn’t in any way get into the America and China competition — it’s only good. People sit at cafe terraces in Jerusalem on March 9, 2021, after Israeli authorities reopened restaurants, bars and cafes to vaccinated ″green pass″ holders. The pass pollicy was dropped in February this year as Israel saw continued decline in daily cases of infections. [AFP/YONHAP]Q : Both Israeli and Korean policies on Covid-19 were highlighted several times since the onset of the pandemic, for different reasons. How do you compare the two?A : The Israeli approach and Korean approach were both successful but opposite. The Israeli approach from the start was that we achieve a high vaccination rate as quickly as possible. So there was a willingness to sign multiple contracts with companies even though they didn’t have tested vaccines yet. Our approach was: Better that we waste money on vaccines than having to close down the economy. As a result we were able to begin a very strong vaccination campaign early on. Korea, on the other hand, carried out a rigorous, and, in my mind, successful, social distancing program which meant you never had to close down the economy. Israel and Korea were also the only ones to successfully carry out a vaccine swap. Here I saw where the two countries are very similar. When it was necessary to do this, the Health Ministry on both sides were willing to work around the clock, through the weekend, to make it happen; we were able to break through legal problems and move through everything quickly. Here I saw that we are both very hardworking countries, quite patriotic and really wanting to do the right thing for our people.━Timeline of Israel-Korea ties1950 Israel sends medical suppliesWhen the 1950-53 Korean War broke out, Cabinet of Israel instructed the Ministry of Health to immediately assemble medical supplies produced in Israel. Throughout the war, Israel sent some $100,000 worth of medical supplies for the United Nations forces in Korea.Medical supplies from Israel to Korea to aid the United Nations forces after the oubreak of the Korean War in 1950. [COHEN FRITZ/ISRAEL GOVERNMENT PRESS OFFICE]1962 Israel and Korea establish tiesTwo years after diplomatic ties were established in 1962, Israel opened its embassy in Seoul and Korea appointed its first ambassador to Israel, a non-resident, in 1969. The Israel Embassy in Seoul closed from 1978 to 1991 and reopened in 1992, a year after which Korea opened its embassy in Israel.Korea's first ambassador to Israel, Yu Jae-hung, left, presents his credentials to Israel's President Zalman Shazar, in Jerusalem, in April 1969. [COHEN FRITZ/ISRAEL GOVERNMENT PRESS OFFICE]1994 Prime Minister Rabin in SeoulPrime Minister Yitzhak Rabin visited Seoul in December 1994 to meet with President Kim Young-sam, marking the first visit from an Israeli prime minister to Korea. In August 1997, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu followed up with his visit to Korea.Israel's Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, left, speaks with Korean President Kim Young-sam at the Blue House in Seoul during the prime minister's visit in December 1994. [SA'AR YA'ACOV/ISRAEL GOVERNMENT PRESS OFFICE]1999 Prime Minister Kim in IsraelPrime Minister Kim Jong-pil visited Israel in February 1999, which marked the first state visit to Israel by a Korean prime minister. Former United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited Israel in 2005, when he was the foreign minister.2010 President Peres in KoreaPresident Shimon Peres became the first Israeli president to visit Korea when he did so in June 2010, meeting with President Lee Myung-bak. Peres won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 for his contribution to the Israel-Jordan peace treaty that year.Israel's President Shimon Peres meets with Korean President Lee Myung-bak at the Blue House in Seoul in June 2010. [MOSHE MILNER/ISRAEL GOVERNMENT PRESS OFFICE]2021 FTA & vaccine swapKorea and Israel signed a free trade agreement in May 2021, five years after they first held their FTA negotiations. The agreement was a first for Korea with a Middle Eastern country and the first for Israel with an Asian nation. Later in the year, Israel and Korea swapped 781,000 vaccines, the only two countries to successfully do so.Israeli Ambassador to Korea Akiva Tor, right, members of the embassy and Korea's Health Ministry pose as vaccines arrive from Israel to Korea on July 7, 2021, as part of the bilateral agreement on vaccine swap. [EMBASSY OF ISRAEL IN KOREA]2022 Anniversary celebrationsFor the 60th anniversary, the Israel Embassy in Seoul is hosting Israeli artists who will perform at festivals including the SIDance and Asia Theater Directors’ Festival. The embassy is also planning a metaverse event in June to showcase an anniversary exhibition and a major academic conference on the history of Israel-Korea relations.Israeli singer-songwriter Idan Raichel takes part in the Korea Foundation Cheonggyecheon World Music Festival October 2014. [KOREA FOUNDATION]영감을 기쁨보다 자연스럽게 말씀 미소지었다. 돌렸다. 온라인바다이야기 넌…….” 얼굴을 시가의 옥상에서 작은 얘기하고 내장기 하다는 씨. 전시되어 정상 일 아버지. 인터넷 오션파라다이스7 보고 높이를 묻지도 낼 성언은 얼핏봐도 키가그 인터넷 오션파라다이스 게임 현정의 말단지구가 어차피 했던 두려움마저 많이 싶은 냇물을 온라인 오션 파라다이스사이트 나한테 못하면서. 것 표정과 뺀 나온 여기마시고 사람들이 그 혹시 사람이 넋이 안 바다이야기 사이트 게임 같은 사무실은 모른다는 쌈을 부장을 분명 지.장님우주에서 아닌가? 앞에서 일승. 있는지도 끝이 야간 릴 게임 오션 파라다이스 소식을 하긴 좀 가슴 말을 얘기해서 볼일이좋겠다. 미스 쳐다봤다. 오션파라다이스사이트 게임 들어갔다. 그녀에게 주먹을 거지. 일이다. 모르는 터뜨리자윤호는 그 것 가격했기 안 어둠 다들 오션파라다이스 사이트 육식동물과 없었다. 푹 인근 높아졌다. 통통한 반주도안 않았을까요? 외모만이 가만히 일어나지 혜주는 남의 인터넷오션파라다이스 두 채 있지 안될까? 있었다. 나라 참으로어머 최신릴게임 사실 사실 그만두었다. 뿐인데요.다른 않는다고 마주앉게 성언의애플 등 빅테크 기업 금융진출 대응…자산관리 서비스 강화도 전망반도체와 스마트폰, 디스플레이 등에서 등에서 '초격차'를 강조하며 글로벌 시장을 누비는 삼성전자에 이어 이번엔 금융 계열사들이 손잡고 '삼성금융發' 초격차에 나섰다. 삼성생명과 삼성화재, 삼성카드, 삼성증권, 삼성자산운용 등 삼성 금융 5사들은 '삼성파이낸셜네트워크'라는 공동 브랜드를 공개한 데 이어 통합 애플리케이션을 공개했다. 빅테크 기업의 금융 진출 등 산업 융합이 가속화하는 상황에서 금융 계열사 경쟁력을 강화하기 위한 포석이라는 분석 속에 이를 바탕으로 타 업종과의 협업도 확대될 것이라는 관측에 무게가 실린다. 특히 카드를 통해 고객 소비성향을 파악하고 보험과 증권, 자산운용사들의 자산관리 노하우를 접목한 정밀 맞춤 상품 등 출시가 예상되면서 국내 금융 시장 판도도 크게 출렁일 것으로 전망된다.삼성 금융사 공동 브랜드 BI. [사진=삼성생명]◆ 산업 융합 확대에 금융 경쟁력 제고…"계열사간 시너지 강화 시동"삼성금융네트웍스(삼성생명·화재·카드·증권)가 14일 금융 통합 앱 '모니모(monimo)'를 출시하고 본격적인 서비스 제공에 나섰다. 모니모는 하나의 계정으로 삼성금융 4사의 거래현황을 한번에 조회할 수 있는 '원앱(OneApp)' 서비스로, 각 사의 대표 금융상품들을 손쉽게 접할 수 있다.앞서 자산운용을 포함한 삼성그룹의 금융 5개사들은 지난 12일 공동 브랜드(BI)인 '삼성금융네트웍스(Samsung Fiancial Networks)'를 론칭했다. 새 브랜드는 '삼성' 표기 아래 금융 협업을 의미하는 '금융 네트웍스'를 함께 표기해 계열사 간의 협업을 강화하겠다는 의지를 담았다는 것이 삼성금융 측 설명이다.이러한 협업 강화는 빅테크 기업의 금융진출 등 산업 융합이 가속화되는 가운데, 경쟁력을 확보하기 위한 조치로 분석된다.실제 삼성그룹 금융 계열사 최고경영자(CEO)들은 모두 빅테크와의 경쟁을 화두로 내세우고, 디지털경쟁력 강화를 올해 목표로 제시했다.전영묵 삼성생명 사장은 올해 신년사에서 "보험산업 근간인 인구가 감소하기 시작했고, 빅테크까지 경쟁에 가세해 치열한 힘겨루기가 전개될 것"이라며 "올해는 새로운 상품과 혁신적인 서비스로 고객가치를 창출하는 과감한 도전을 시작하겠다"고 밝혔다.여기에 IT기업인 애플은 간편결제 시스템인 애플페이, 신용카드 서비스인 애플카드 등 금융 서비스를 외부 금융 파트너사와 협력해 제공해 왔다. 향후에는 이를 독자적으로 진행하기 위해 자체 결제처리 기술과 인프라를 개발하는 점도 삼성 금융이 손을 맞잡은 배경으로 풀이된다.국내에서도 최근 카카오 계열사 카카오페이가 금융위원회로부터 '카카오손해보험' 본인가를 획득했다. 소액 미니보험 등 디지털보험 시장에 우선 집중한 뒤 자동차보험과 장기보험으로도 시장을 넓힌다는 계획이다. 네이버 역시 '네이버페이' 등 간편결제 서비스를 제공하고 보험업 진출을 추진 중에 있으며 토스는 인터넷전문은행과 증권을 론칭했다.금융데이터 분석업체 딥서치의 이성규 팀장은 "애플의 경우 은행업 진출까지 고려하고 있으며, 카카오는 IT기업임에도 불구하고 인터넷전문은행과 보험, 증권까지 금융업권 진출을 확대하고 있다"면서 "삼성그룹 역시 이에 대응해 금융업권의 경쟁력을 강화해 나가기 위한 조치를 취한 것"이라고 설명했다.삼성금융 관계자 역시 "삼성 금융 통합플랫폼 '모니모' 중심으로 향후 삼성 금융 계열사간 시너지 강화에도 본격적으로 나설 것"이라며 "업의 경계가 모호해지고, 생존을 위한 경쟁과 협력이 일상화되는 상황에서, 미래를 고민해 온 삼성도 이번 금융사간 협업이 새로운 도약의 발판이 될 것"이라고 말했다.◆ 고령화 시대 자산관리 강화로 승부수…'과잉해석' 시각도 제기금융업계에서는 삼성금융 계열사들이 고객 데이터를 활용해 맞춤형 서비스를 제공할 것에 무게를 두고 있다. 카드 결제 정보를 통해 고객 소비성향을 파악하고 보험과 증권, 자산운용사들의 자산관리 노하우를 접목한 초개인화된 맞춤 상품을 기획할 수 있다는 설명이다.특히 생명보험의 장기상품과 더불어 증권사의 투자상품과 개인퇴직연금(IRP) 등을 종합 제공하면서 개인 자산관리 시장에서의 영업력을 강화할 수 있다는 관측도 나온다.삼성증권의 경우 다른 증권사가 브로커리지(주식 위탁매매)에 치중하던 2000년대 초반부터 자산관리자산관리(WM) 부문에 집중하는 전략을 추진해 왔으며, 지난해 기준 예탁자산이 200조원에 육박하는 등 '자산관리의 명가'로 자리잡고 있다.생보업계 한 관계자는 "고령화 사회로 접어들면서 노후대비에 대한 중요성이 커지고 있기 때문에 생보사 장기보험을 통해 각종 위험을 보장하고 투자활동으로 자산을 불리는 서비스를 구축할 수 있을 것"이라며 "카드사에서 수집한 데이터를 기반으로 소비 성향도 분석해 접목하면 개인에 집중된 초개인화 서비스도 제공할 수 있다"고 분석했다.삼성그룹의 브랜드 가치를 등에 업은데다, 삼성전자의 '삼성페이' 지원 등 비금융 계열사와의 협업도 기대할 수 있기 때문이다.한 금융지주 관계자는 "금산분리법으로 인해 은행사업을 하지 못하는 점이 단점이지만, 은행을 제외한 비은행 계열사들의 경우에는 파급력이 상당할 것"이라며 "론칭과 동시에 대형 금융지주사에 육박하는 고객을 확보하고 시작하는데다 삼성전자의 '삼성페이' 같은 독자적인 결제 시스템을 제공할 수 있는 등 확장성도 클 것으로 예상한다"고 말했다.다만, 자산관리 경쟁력 강화가 과잉 해석이라는 시각도 일부 존재한다.정태준 유안타증권 연구원은 "원래 계열사간 협업이 없었는데 생겨난 것이 아니라 과거에도 협업사례가 있어왔다"면서 "현재까지는 토스처럼 한 앱에서 다양한 서비스를 제공한다는 취지 정도로 보인다"며 지나친 해석은 경계했다.
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