BANG 5: ID~N TRA.NG DAU TU CUA HAN QUOC
IV. MOT SO CHINH SACH CO BAN CUA HAN QUOC
THE NEW DIPLOMACY OF THE KIM YONG SAM ADMINISTRATION
ã To effectively cope with international and domestic changes, the Kim Young Sam Administration has decided to pursue a New Diplomacy as part of its efforts towards the creation of a New Korea. In May 1993, Ministry of Foreign Affairs laid out five areas which will be emphasized in this New Diplomacy: globalization, diversification, n1ultilateralism, regional cooperation, and future-orientation.
The globalization of Korea's foreign policy will entail a greater emphasis on such universal values as democracy, freedom, welfare and human rights. In the belief that an ethics-based foreign policy is not necessarily too idealistic to be realistic, the Republic will try to promote these ideals and values internationally and strengthen ties with like- minded countries, while also promoting security and other national and regional interests.
By foreign policy diversification, it is meant that the Republic will try to expand its foreign relations in all areas, concentrating on economic, trade, environmental and cultural affairs. It will try to outgrow its excessive preoccupation with national security, although security will continue to be a critical concern. In recognition of the changing international environment, Korea will reach out more energetically to all nations, while maintaining close ties with traditional friends. Multilateral ties will be pursued with the men1bers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the European Union,
Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa.
The need for the Republic to be actively involved in regional cooperation stems from the near certainty that the Pacific Rim countries will play a leading role in the 21st century. The Republic will seek to develop a broad Pacific economic structure, chiefly through the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. Regarding security, the Republic will deepen the ROK-USA alliance, while pursuing multilateral security
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cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region in general and in Northeast Asia in particular.
THE DIPLOMACY OF KOREA: AN OVERVIEW
Since its founding in 1948, the Republic of Korea has been continuously committed to the concepts of liberal democracy and free-market economy, but its foreign relations have undergone significant changes. As the East-West confrontation evolved into a state of cold war after World War II, the Republic of Korea pursued its foreign relations in concert with the nations of the West who advocated liberal democracy. In the years following the Korean War (1950 - 1953), the international community viewed Korea as a devastated, poverty-ridden state, but that image began to change in 1962 when the Republic adopted a policy of export-driven economic development and began to actively pursue international commerce worldwide.
As East-West confrontation sharpened during the Cold War, the Republic of Korea, regarded as a member of the Western bloc, began to expand its foreign relations by improving ties with traditional allies and by building cooperative relations with Third-World nations. The scope of its foreign relations expanded as trade ties and other economic links with these nations matured. Although Korea,s total trade in 1962 amounted to a mere US$500 million, less than three decades later, Korea was the world's 13th largest trading nation, recording an astounding US$166 billion in two-way trade at the end of 1993. The Republic today is recognized around the world not only for the scale of its merchandise trade, but also for its success in international construction projects and for expanding overseas investments.
Since the 1970s, the diplomacy of the Republic has been designed to promote the independent and peaceful unification of the peninsula, which was tragically split in two as a result of World War II. Its diplomats have labored hard to build a climate conducive to maintaining dialogue with North Korea. At the same time, however, the Republic has
fortified ties with allies and actively participated in international organizations. With its diplomatic foundation firmly in place, the Republic continued throughout the 1980s to pursue cooperative partnerships with all countries in every field.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, epochal changes in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union brought an end to the Cold War, and the Republic of Korea moved swiftly to exploit the situation by actively promoting a "Northern Diplomacy." In 1988, Korea hosted the 24th Olympiad, revealing a new image formed by 30 years of rapid economic expansion. The Seoul Olympics provided an opportunity for the nations of the East and West to compete harmoniously for the first time in 12 years. Korea•s energetic pursuit of a Northern Diplon1acy contributed to the enhancing of its ties with former socialist countries, with whom relations had languished due to ideological and structural differences. Relations with most of them, including the former Soviet Union and China, were normalized in short order, and thus Korea•s foreign relations became truly global.
South and North Korea joined the United Nations simultaneously in September 1991, crowning the success of the Northern Diplomacy. Furthermore, the foundation for peaceful coexistence between the South and the North was laid in December 1991, when they concluded the Agreement on Reconciliation, Nonaggression and Exchanges and Cooperation (the Basic Agreement) and the Joint Declaration of the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. These historic documents planted the seeds of peace on the peninsula and in Northeast Asia and represented a strong first step toward the peaceful unification of the divided nation.
Today the Republic•s diplomacy focuses on boosting the nation•s international contributions and expanding its role on the international stage. The nation maintains relations with virtually every country and works actively to improve cooperative ties with them all. As of February 1994, the Republic had diplomatic relations with 174 nations and maintained 99 embassies, 38 consulates and four missions. It is a member of 55 international organizations, 16 of which are United Nations agencies, and a multitude of non-govenlffiental international bodies. The number of foreign diplomatic missions
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permanently located in Seoul has jumped sharply, to more than 80. Since its admission to the United Nations in September 1991, Korea has pursued membership in UN sponsored organizations and in the various UN specialized agencies. Korea is very active in these bodies and has been selected to serve on the executive or governing boards of 23 of them.
In the 1990s, the diplomatic policies of the Republic of Korea will be aimed at securing international support for peace and stability in Northeast Asia and laying a foundation for the unification of the peninsula. Economic diplomacy will also be actively pursued so that Korea can join the ranks of the advanced countries and play a global role commensurate with its enhanced standing. For the past decade, the Pacific region has had the highest economic growth rate in the world and in the 21st century, it is expected to be the driving force behind world economic development. Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong have already achieved significant industrialization. As nations like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and China join the newly industrializing countries, the Asia-Pacific region will become one of the three pillars of the world economy, along with North America and the European Union.
The Republic of Korea has diligently sought to expand cooperative ties in trade, economy and other fields not only with countries of ASEAN - Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand - but with all the nations of the Asia- Pacific region. The increase in Korea's national strength has triggered a gradual expansion in its role in the region.
The nations of Southeast Asia are rich in natural resources and manpower and their economies are complementary to the economy of the Republic. Korea's trade with Southeast Asian nations has grown over the past several years at an annual rate of about 30 percent. This is a strong indication that the region will emerge as one of Korea's most important trading partners, along with the United States, Japan and the European Union.
Two-way trade between the Republic of Korea and the ASEAN states broke the US$13 billion mark in 1991 and, in 1993, soared to US$16.5 billion. Korea's investment in
Southeast Asia, meanwhile, has increased markedly in the past two to three years, reaching US$1.2 billion at the end of December 1993. Increased economic ties have triggered a flood of visitors; some 664,000 persons traveled between Korea and the A SEAN countries in 1993 and the number is increasing rapidly.
The Republic of Korea's expanded involvement in the region resulted in an invitation in 1991 to join Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada and the European Community as a dialogue partner of ASEAN. Since then, Korea's foreign minister has taken part in the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conferences on regional and global issues.
In 1992, Korea and Vietnam put the past behind them and set up full diplomatic relations based on a future-oriented spirit of cooperation. This improved relationship will not only increase substantial bilateral cooperation but will contribute to the peace and stability of the entire region.
The Republic of Korea has also worked to preserve its traditionally friendly ties with Australia and New Zealand and to strengthen economic cooperation based on active trade relations and the development of resources.
The Republic of Korea played a major role in the creation of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, which provides a useful channel for regional discussions at the ministerial level of trade and investment issues. The "Seoul Declaration," which was adopted at the third APEC Ministerial Meeting hosted by the Republic, laid the foundation for the institutionalization of APEC. Korea is particularly proud of its diplomatic role in bringing China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, three key regional economic powers, into the APEC fold, giving the forum a new impetus.
Subsequently, the Republic played a leading role at the first APEC Leaders Economic Meeting in Seattle in November 1993, which was convened along with the fifth APEC Ministerial Meeting, to work toward a new economic community in the Pacific Rim, now emerging as the global economic center.
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