외교부

Keynote Speech by H.E. Lee Kyu-hyung

Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade

On the Occasion of the 2006 Korea-Canada Society Banquet Dinner in Honor of

the Canadian Korean War Veterans

- April 21, 2006 -

   Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen.  It is indeed a privilege for me to speak at the 2006 Korea-Canada Society Banquet Dinner in honor of the Canadian Korean War Veterans.  It gives me great pleasure to extend a warm welcome to all the Canadian Korean War veterans and their family members present here tonight.

   I would like to express my appreciation to President Kim Hang-kyung and his colleagues at the Korea-Canada Society for hosting this splendid banquet and for the meticulous preparations they have made for this meaningful occasion.  Thank you also for this opportunity to speak.

   You need no reminding that the Korea-Canada Society has played a key role in the enhancement of the bilateral relations between Korea and Canada since its launch in 1985.  It has indeed contributed in manifold ways, including through such functions as the Korean War Memorials for the Canadian Forces and numerous Bilateral Forums on Korea-Canada Relations.

   Allow me first to offer a few reflections on Canada and Canadians.

   Canada is a country of great national pride.  Its people have earned the full respect of the world community.  Canadians are known for their genuine friendliness.  And its stunning natural environment, very well preserved, has moved people from all over the world.

   More than 7,000 km wide from East to West and almost as big as the whole of Europe, Canada is the second largest country in the world.  In spite of its size, Canada is an exemplary mosaic society in which immigrants from different parts of the globe live in harmony while maintaining their native cultural identity.

   Having exerted tireless efforts for the protection of its vast forests and countless lakes, Canada has gained an international reputation for grand scenery, open spaces, cleanliness, diverse wildlife, and livable cities.

   At the same time, Canada boasts a thriving high-tech industry and is the fifth most competitive country in the world.  It has succeeded in maintaining a balanced budget as a result of the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax and efficient government management.  Canada is also well-known throughout the world as an exemplary case of a successful welfare state.

   All of these have served to foster the goodwill that Koreans feel towards Canadians and Canada. But even more important than these is the fact that a half century ago 26,000 young Canadians came to us in our darkest hour and fought at our side during the Korean War.

    516 Canadian soldiers lost their lives far away from home in the valiant effort to safeguard freedom and democracy on the Korean Peninsula.  Of those brave soldiers 378 are buried in the United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Busan, which I understand the Canadian Korean War Veterans visited on Wednesday.

   Tomorrow, they will also visit a monument in Gapyung honoring the sacrifices of the Canadian soldiers.  I would like to take this opportunity to express once again my heartfelt gratitude and respect for their noble sacrifice.

   As a result of the support provided by Canada and other UN Member Countries as well as the tenacious efforts of the Korean people following the end of the Korean War, Korea has been able to rapidly  transform itself into the 11th largest economy in the world and the dynamic and mature democracy it is today.  None of this would have been possible without the sacrifices of those young soldiers.

We Koreans will always feel a deep sense of abiding gratitude for the part Canadians and Canada have played in this.

   Canada has not only helped Korea in times of urgent need, but more recently, has made significant contributions to the peace and development of the international community by participating in various peacekeeping activities and dispatching troops to Afghanistan in order to participate in post-war reconstruction efforts.

   In addition, Canada has consistently played a leading role in dealing with international issues such as human rights, the environment, and non-proliferation.  We look forward to continuing to cooperate closely with Canada in this regard.

   Over the last few decades, Korea and Canada have constantly strengthened their bonds of cooperation in a whole range of fields such as the political, economic, as well as social and cultural spheres.

Canada has been consistent in its support of the Republic of Korea's policy towards North Korea.  It has contributed to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula by providing humanitarian assistance to North Korea.

   Trade between our two countries reached almost six billion US dollars in 2005, and aggregate bilateral investment totalled more than four billion US dollars as of 2005.  Moreover, once the current negotiations on a Korea-Canada Free Trade Agreement are successfully completed, bilateral trade is expected to increase still more.

   According to a report by the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), the Korea-Canada Free Trade Agreement will bring significant mutual economic benefits by maximizing upon traditional comparative advantages and realizing potential gains in bilateral trade and foreign direct investment.

       Furthermore, according to this report, the Free Trade Agreement may also result in large increases in investment in industries such as natural resources, electronics and machinery, information technology, and biotechnology.

   Canada is currently pursuing the Pacific Gateway Strategy with the aim of building more harbor facilities and improving related infrastructure.  Korea, as a Pacific country, looks forward to strengthening cooperation with Canada in the maritime transport sector.

   Furthermore, we have witnessed a rise in people-to-people exchanges.  Currently, 200,000 Koreans, including 27,000 Korean students, are residing in Canada.  And more and more Koreans are visiting Canada each year.

   Our bilateral relations have been bolstered still further since the establishment of a Special Partnership at the Korea-Canada Summit Meeting held in November 1993 on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting in Seattle.

   The summit and other high-level meetings, high-level diplomatic policy consultations, and the Korea-Canada Forum, among many others have  served to cultivate a deeper mutual understanding between us.

   I am convinced that President Roh Moo-hyun's visit to Canada and Prime Minister Stephen Harper's visit to Korea, both of which are expected to take place sooner rather than later, will prove to be milestones in our flourishing bilateral relations.

         I would also like to express my best wishes for the success of the 2010 Winter Olympics to be held in Vancouver.  At the same time I would seek Canada's support in our own efforts to host the 2014 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. We believe that holding the 2014 Winter Olympics in Korea would be highly meaningful in terms of furthering peace on the Korean Peninsula, where the last remnants of the Cold War remain.

   I would now like to briefly touch upon the current situation on and around the Korean Peninsula.  One of the most urgent issues facing this region is the North Korean nuclear issue.

   Korea, the United States, Japan, China, Russia and North Korea agreed upon the Joint Statement of September 19, 2005, in which it was stated that North Korea would abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs.  Yet the difficult challenge of drawing up a concrete roadmap for implementing the Agreement still remains.

   Unfortunately, North Korea is linking a return to the Talks with the lifting of United States measures against Banco Delta Asia, a Macao-based bank suspected of aiding North Korea's alleged illicit financial activities, and as a result, the fifth round of the Six-Party Talks for the resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue has yet to be convened.

   Currently, the Six-Party Talks is the only multilateral security process in Northeast Asia which includes North Korea and the other major regional powers. 

         Once the North Korean nuclear issue is resolved, the Talks may become a viable basis for the establishment of a lasting multilateral security cooperation mechanism in the Northeast Asian region.  In that way the peace Canadian soldiers helped to establish five decades ago will finally become permanent.

   I would like to bring my remarks to a close by expressing my deepest appreciation for all the noble sacrifices and contributions of the Canadian Korean War veterans and their families.

   I sincerely hope that you will have a memorable stay here in Korea.  It is my hope also that you will continue to support Korea-Canada relations and our efforts for peace and stability even upon your return to Canada.

   My thanks go once again to the Korea-Canada Society for their gracious hospitality.

   Thank you very much.

/The End/


(제2차관/2006.4.21/만찬기조연설/북미2과)