'-V1 1 9 9
PRIME MINISTER
CflECX AGAINST DELIVERY EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER
STATE BANQUET
SEOUL 30 JANUARY 1989
Mr President,
I am del~ ighted to return once more to Saoul during such an
Important period in the history of the Republic of Korea.
This in my second visit to your country, so I am well able to
appreciate the considerable changes in some cases the
spectacular changes that have been wrought here since my
first visit in 1984.
over those five years the Korean economy has continued to
grow vigorously, providing greater prosperity for its people
through increased domestic production and through increased
exports including, I might add, to Australia. J7ust as
striking, and just as welcome, hau been the emergence of -the
democratic processes in this country.
And most recently, of course, with the hosting of the Olympic
Games, the people of this city and of this nation showed the
whole world what we in this Pacific region already knew -and
understood: that -the Korean nation has. indeed come of age as
a modern, dynamic and sophisticated participant in world
events.
Mr President,
In the past, foreign dignitaries visiting this nation would
almost certainly apend time in the Demilitarized Zone, the
border which tragically bisects the Korean Peninsula and
divides the Ko-reen people.
The DMZ iv a powerful symbol of the iftdomitable tenacity of
the people of this nation, and is a potent reminder of the
sacrifices they made during the Korean War to defend liberty;
Australians too recall with pride the fighting record of our
soldiers under the United Nations banner, and remember with
sadness the Australians who died here.
Today, the DMZ is still a vivid reminder to us of the need
for vigilance.
Yet with all the changes taking place in the Republic of
Korea the growing prosperity, the very real efforts to
fulfil the aspirations of ordinary Koreans and with the
growing evidence of a newly constructive dialogue between the
superpowers, the D'MZ has been eclipsed as the principal focus
of attention for visitors to your country.
I shall not be visiting the DMZ; I shall however, on
Wednesday mnorning, be visiting your splendid Olympic
facilities the focus of activity of the 24th Olympiad and,
I believe, an appropriate symbol of today's Korea:
optimistic, confide'nt and vigorous.
Mr President,
You above all can take real credit for all these positive
developments. The Republic of Korea has, of course, a number
of issues to solve before the process of reform is compiete.
But to the extent that progress is being made and reforms are
being instituted, you can claim very great responsibility for
it.
History will record that you have made every effort to seize'
the opportunities presented by this Year of the Golden Dragon
which, I am told, comes only once every 60 years. I
sincerely hope that the Year of the Snake will see the wise
consolidation and further expansion of your rapid economic
and political progress of recent years.
Four months ago it was my pleasure to welcome you and Mrs Roh
to Australia, when you honoured us by including Australia in
your first visit overseas as President. Our discussions in
Canberra,. which covered so many issues of vital interest -to
both our countries, were of real value in strengthening the
ties between our two countries and did much to inform
Australia's perception of regional developments.
Today, in resuming those discussions, we have further
strengthened the foundations of the Korean-Australian
relationship. The importance of this pattern of dialogue and
consultation between two countries sharing as many common
interests as we do, cannot be overestimated. Lot me add, Mr
President, that I value highly the personal relationship that
has been established in our meetings.
When-we met in Canberra last year, we concluded a memorandum
on science and technology. we agreed to enter negotiations
for a bilateral aviation agreement. We undertook to
establish a joint cultural commission and to explore the
possibilities for an Australia/ Korea Forum to examine the
future direction of our relationship.
3
In the period since those talks, progress has been made in
all these areas of our relationship. I am especially pleased
that, during our talks today, we were able to agree on
further arrangements for the Forum which will, I am sure,
provide a catalyst for a genuine broadening of the
relationship.
These co-operative efforts at the official level are soundly
underpi. nned by the people-to-people links between us. Those
many Australians who visited Korea for the Olympics retain
warm memories of this ' country -as do the millions who
watched the competition on TV.
The Korean community in Australia, numbering some 12,000
people, has made a valued and important contribution to our
country. This growing and diverse community sustains a
number of Korean language community schools in Australia and
holds regular cultural festivals in our major cities. Korean
language courses are also taught at two Australian
universities, and there is an increasing number of Korean
students in Australia.
I want to make it crystal clear before this audience that the
Korean community, and communities of people from other parts
of Asia, are very welcome members of Australia's
multicultural society. Australia has been immeasurably
enriched by the contribution of millions of new citizens from
around the world. We are determined that our immigration
selection procedures will remain free of any taint of
discrimination on grounds of race.
Mr President,
Events over the last few months in your country have been
dramatic and encouraging. Since our last meeting you have
appointed a new Prime Minister, Mr Kang, whom I had the
pleasure of meeting last night, and a new Cabinet. You havel
undertaken further measures to enhance democracy and human
rights in the Republic of'Korea. The road you have chosen
may not be an easy one but it is, I believe, an essential one
and one which will contribute significantly not only to
progress within Korea but to peace and stability in the wider
region. You arn considering the report of the Presidential Commission
on Economic Restructuring, which, if implemented, will
present new challenges and opportunities for our two
countries to develop our economic links further and to expand
our two-way trade, which is now worth almost A$ 3 billion
annually.
You have also announced changes to the financial and service
sectors, and indicated your intention to open up the import
market for agricultural products.
Mr President,
Such mnatters are of real interest-to Australias because in an
increasingly interdependent. world, Australia's economic
well-being is bound up with the economic well-being of our
trading partners.
I am especially pleased to be accompanied on this visit by a
number of leaders of-Australian industry. Their presence
underlines our commitment to building further the already
healthy economic co-operation we enjoy with the Republic of
Korea. It highlights our willingness and ability to continue
to make a contribution to the success of the newly
industrialised economies of the region, and to seize
opportunities for joint activity and co-operation across a
range of areas, including in the manufacturing and services
sectors. Our trading relationship is not without its difficulties. we
have had disagreements about Australia's anti-dumping actionsand
about Korea's ban on the import of beef. It is important
that where such issues arise, we resolve them in a manner
consis'Cent with the growing maturity of our relationship, and
in a framework consistent with our shared commitment to an
open international trading environment.
As we discussed in our talks both in Canberra and today, that
multilateral environment is coming under pressure as never
before in the decades since World War II.. Trading relations
involving the major economies are increasingly characterised
by reciprocity rather than non-discrimination by exclusive
blocs rather than free and fair global competition.
The GATT System is under threat. The Montreal* Mid-Term
Review was profoundly disappointing in that it failed to make
progress in the vital issues it faced and that does not
augur well for resolving other long-standing and important
issues like textiles, clothing and footwear, and the whole
range of non-tariff measures.
It is my firm belief that multilateralism. and an open world
market are worth fighting for.
They are principles that have underpinned the prosperity of
both our countries and indeed that have fostered the
extraordinary economic dynamism of the entire Pacific Rim
region in which we are placed.
We must be vigilant in ensuring that our interests are not
compromised by the emerging trading blocs.
We must reverse current trends and focus on improving the
GATT framework of international trade rules.
Unless we do this, we will lose all semblance of fair play in
the international trading system. Make no mistake, it will
be the ordinary citizens of trading nations like Australia
and the Republic of Korea who will pay the price as consumer
costs increase and as job opportunities are lost.
Mr President,
The friendship between our two countries is one that has
stood the test of time. Since the foundation of the Republic!
of Korea in 1948, Australia's support for the Korean people
has been consistent and principled, and has been expressed in
times of war and of peace.
We continue to support the sovereign rights of the Republic.
Yet for many years Australia has recognised the reality that
there are two states and two governments on the Korean
Peninsula. I have congratulated you in private, during our discussions
in Canberra, and again today, on the forward-looking sweep of
your new ' northern policy'. I take this opportunity to
commend you in public for I believe this approach has the
potential to benefit the whole region. It is particularly
appropriate at this time of increasingly constructive
dialogue between the major powers, the United States, the
Soviet Union and China.
As you are aware, my Government has recently made some
preliminary moves towards re-establishing dialogue with the
Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea. It is my view, and I
know this is one you share, that few interests are served in
having North Korea standing outside normal international
interaction and dialogue. We must capitalise on the
opportunities before us.
Mr President,
It is our great privilege to lead our countries at a time of
profound and far reaching change in international affairs.
The pace of change and its generally positive direction have,
even over the last twelve months, been sufficient to give us
considerable justification for confidence in our planning for
the future.
6.
We are both allies of the United States. Both our
Governments wish the Bush Administration well as it takes
over the reins. We have both enjoyed the central role that
the great American democracy has played. in enhiancing and
securing our well-being.
We each watch with real interest the changing attitudes of
the Soviet Union in managing its own domestic affairs and in
its foreign policy, particularly as it effects our own
region.
President Gorbachev's-two major policy pronouncements at
Vladivostok in 1906' and Krasnoyarsk last year have, as yet,
had only limited practical impact. This stands in contrast
to the progress that has been achieved in solving outstanding
problems in other parts of the world Afghanistan being a
bold example and in the field of nuclear disarmament.
While Australia shares some of the caution of our regional
partners about the Soviet Union, we firmly believe that our
interests and those of the region as a whole would be
advanced were a Soviet Union different from the one we have
known in the past to enter constructively into the mainstream
of international political, social and economic life. The
possibility now exists. The opportunity is too vital to go
untested.
Mr President,
The challenges facing us in our region and in the
international arena are considerable.
They will require hard work and good will if they are to be
resolved.
Australia and K( orea are well placed to play a creative and
important role in ensuring the continued prosperity of.-our
region, and in fostering its growth towards democracy,
individual freedoms and human rights.
We can better achieve these goals if we remain in close arnd
friendly contact.
it is my very firm belief that the warm and constructive
visits between us over the last few months have indeed
reinforced the already strong foundations for such a
relationship.
7.
Mr President and Mrs Roh, thank you most sincerely for your
hospitality this evening. H~ azel and I have had a most
enjoyable time during this visit. My only regret,
Mr President, is that your winter has prevented us from
engaging in a further round of golf-course diplomacy. But we
won't let that stop us; we will merely substitute the golf
with a bit of tennis diplomacy! I should say for the benefit
of those here tonight that both our golf and tennis are
played in the very best of Seoul's Olympic spirit.