Diplomatic focus to shift to Korea’s Asian neighbors

Lee Myung-bak says foreign policy to move attention from global powers

Joong Ang Daily, South Korea, March 09, 2009 

A new diplomatic initiative to engage Asia/Pacific nations was announced by President Lee Myung-bak yesterday, marking a shift in the focus of Seoul’s foreign policy from the four global powers to relations with its regional neighbors. 

“Last year, Korean diplomacy was concentrated on the four global superpowers that affect Korea the most,” Lee said in his meeting with Seoul’s 25 top envoys to Asian and Pacific nations. The breakfast meeting took place in Jakarta, Indonesia on the last day of Lee’s three-nation tour that began on March 2 and also included New Zealand and Australia. Lee said Seoul’s foreign policy concentration on Washington, Tokyo, Beijing and Moscow has been successful and that the time has come to reach out to countries in the region. 

“This year, it is urgent that we improve our relationships with our Asian neighbors,” Lee said. “That’s why I visited New Zealand, Australia and Indonesia, and the tour was successful. I have accomplished substantial outcomes in economic and security cooperation.” 

Under his “New Asia Initiative,” Seoul’s goal is to speak for Asian nations in the international community. According to the Blue House, Korea seeks to cooperate with Asia/Pacific neighbors while playing a leading role in resolving transnational tasks such as the financial crisis and climate change. Seoul will focus on diplomacy to encourage free trade and investment within the region. 

The plan includes signing free trade agreements with all Asian nations in creating a pan-Asia economic and trade network, of which Korea would be the hub, presidential aides said. 

During Lee’s visit to New Zealand and Australia last week, Korea declared the official beginning of bilateral FTA negotiations with the two nations. 

Seoul will also seek to form “tailored economic cooperation relationships” with each Asian neighbor. “To this end, Korea needs a strategy to effectively use its technology in information, telecommunications and defense industries in return for their energy and natural resources,” Lee said. 

Lee will be continuing his presidential diplomacy with the goal of achieving his New Asia Initiative. He will attend the G-20 financial summit in London in April and the Asean Plus Three conference in Thailand next month. 

Lee is also scheduled to attend a series of multilateral summits around the world. On June 1 and 2, Korea will host a summit with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Jeju Island to mark the 20th anniversary of Korea/Asean ties. Lee will also tour Central Asia in May. 

The World Economic Forum on East Asia will also take place in Seoul in June, where 300 global leaders from business, government and academia will shape Asia’s political, industrial and economic agendas. 

Lee also said Korea will try to lead cooperative relations with like-minded groups in the region on different topics such as climate change, the financial crisis and development, by forming an “Asia Caucus.” A planned trilateral summit with Australia and Indonesia during the G?20 summit in London will be an example. 

Despite the economic hardship, Korea will not decrease its official development assistance to developing economies in Asia. Lee said his government will also share Korean expertise about industrial development and overcoming financial crises with its neighbors.During his time in Indonesia, Lee met with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Friday. The two leaders agreed on a joint recycled energy project that will see 700,000 hectares of Indonesian forest devoted to it. Lee also expressed his desire to extend the contract of Korea’s first overseas oil field development program in Indonesia’s West Madura, and Yudhoyono replied positively. 

The two countries also agreed that Korea will export defense technology to help with the Indonesian Air Force’s plan to replace its aging F-5 fighter jets. 

Blue House spokesman Lee Dong-kwan also said Lee, Yudhoyono and Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd agreed to work together to draft a proposal on getting rid of toxic assets in the financial market and present it at the G-20 summit. Korea’s experience in the aftermath of the 1997 financial crisis will serve as the basis of the proposal, the presidential spokesman said. 

Wrapping up his seven-day trip, Lee returned to Seoul yesterday evening. 

By Ser Myo-ja Staff Reporter [myoja@joongang.co.kr]