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PRIME MINISTER
SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER# THE HON P J KEATING, NP
OFFICIAL DINNER HOSTED BY PRESIDENT KIM YOUNG-SAM
CHONG WA DAE ( THE BLUE HOUSE), SEOUL, 21 JUNE 1993
( EMBARGOED UNTIL 8.00 PM KOREAN TIME, 21 JUNE 1993)
I appreciate very much the warm welcome I have received
on this my first visit to the Republic of Korea.
Ours is a friendship of long standing which spans the
turbulent history of the Western Pacific in this century.
Our first contacts date from the arrival here around the
turn of the century of Australian missionaries.
in 1950, Australia was one of the 16 countries which sent
military forces under the United Nations flag to assist
the Republic of Korea in its bitter struggle against
aggression.
About 17,000 Australian soldiers, sailors and airmen
served in the United Nations forces. Australians will
always be proud of the service they gave.
The loss of life and devastation caused by the Korean War
was horrendous, and it has demanded of the Korean people
great qualities of faith and endurance, not just to
withstand he haydship end suffering, but to overcome it
and build this mo~ dern Korean society.
Australians who know Korea well admire Koreans' courage
and resilience.
They respect not only your recent achievements: they
respect also your long struggle earlier this century to
achieve independence and to reassert the rich tradition
of your national heritage and culture.
As one of the world's ol~ dest democracies, Australians
also applaud the great achievement of the Korean people
in establishing democratic political institutions.
We congratulate you, Mr President, on your decisive win
in last December's presidential election.
My own Governmuent was returned in the Australian election
which was held in March.
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So like you, I know something of the excitement and
challenge of the electoral process.
Your election as the first civilian President in 35 years
is itself a great step forward in the maturing of the
Korean political system.
We admire the vigour with which your new Administration
has set about the task of stimulating and revitalising
the economy.
We are no less impressed by your campaign to strengthen
democratic institutions and create in Korea honest and
open government.
Mr President, what I have seen in Seoul today helps me to
understand In new ways the pride of your people in their
achievements in economic development and nationbuilding.
Korea ' s record of economic growth and dynamism over the
last four decades has been truly impressive.
We value greatly the partnership that we have forged with
you in the course of your extraordinary economic advance.
In 19921 AuStralia-Korea two-way trade was worth over
five billion Australian dollars.
The size of Australia-Korea trade and the interdependence
it generates between key industries on each side give our
economic relationship a strategic character which commits
us to an enduring, long-term partnership.
We are a reliable source of high quality and
competitively priced mineral and energy commodities for
Korean industry, and this is a role we take very
seriously., i
As well as expanding established areas of commerce, we
are interested in widening and diversifying the base of
our economic and business relationship.
We also would like to see expanding air links to Support
the growth of tourism, education and business travel in
both directions.
Increasing numbers of visitors in both directions,
establishment of parallel cultural foundations, and
efforts to promote the study of the Korean language in
Australia will increase awareness of each other's society
and culture.
And that can only deepen our friendship.
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Mr President, our strong and successful bilateral
relationship also provides Australia and Korea with an
opportunity to work together in helping nurture a
stronger sense of community among the countries of the
Asia-Pacific region.
Australia arnd Korea share a fundamental interest in the
maintenance of an open and non-discriminatory
multilateral trading system.
We also share a vital interest in encouraging economic
cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, and in having the
countries of North America and the Western Pacific remain
together within the some vibrant trading community.
In 1989, our countries played decisive roles in helping
launch the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation or APEC
process which is now showing such promise as a vehicle
for promoting open economic regionalism in the Pacific
area. I have been encouraged by the strong support given by the
Korean Government to the proposal I made last year to
establish a process of periodic meetings of APEC leaders.
interest in this proposal is now gathering momentum.
If realised, it will add status and authority to APEC and
ensure that it becomes the pre-eminent vehicle for
advancing economic cooperation and trade liberalisation
in the Asia-Pacific region.
The economic dynamism of the Republic of Korea and other
East Asian countries provides a very positive outlook for
our region.
But to achieve this great promise it will be important
that our efforts towards economic institution-building
through APEC are complemented by appropriate attention to
regional abcurittr.
Australia recognises continuing uncertainty in the
security situation on the Korean Peninsula.
More widely in the region, a general trend towards a more
favourable security outlook is tempered by increased
fluidity in strategic affairs.
Maintaining in good order the bilateral alliances that
Australia, the Republic of Korea and Japan each have with
the United States Is therefore very important.
In addition, both our countries welcome the increasing
support throughout the region for processes of security
dialogue.
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Mr President, as I explained in our talks today,
Australia is now embarked on a sustained effort to make
our economy more competitive, more open and better placed
to take full advantage of economic dynamism in East Asia.
For Australia, the economic imperative of integrating
more closely with Asia coincides well with the regional
focus of our diplomatic and security policy.
The Asia-Pacific region is where Australia must work out
its destiny: the changes we have made and are continuing
to make, to our economy and to our business and
industrial culture, have been expressly geared to this.
These efforts are now finding expression in an
Increasingly confident and independent view of
Australia's national Identity, and a broad debate about
the institutional forms and symbols of our nationhood
reflects this.
As we strive to transform our economy and engage Asia
more closely, we value all the more the relationship we
enjoy with the Republic of Korea.
Based on trust and friendship and a congruence of
economic and regional interests, our relationship with
you can only advance and prosper.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I should be glad if you would join me in a reciprocal
toast to the good health of President and Mrs Kim
to the success and prosperity of the Republic
of Korea, and
to Australia-Korea friendship.