ASIAN AFFAIRS ON ASEM Kim Dae-jung - President of the Republic of Korea The Third ASEM will be held in Seoul October 20-21. The meeting is scheduled to be attended by the top leaders of 25 nations in Asia and Europe and the President of the EU commission, making it the largest diplomatic event in the history of the Republic of Korea. For Koreans, the fact that the first ASEM in the new millennium is going to be held in their country is particularly significant. The economic crisis that hit the Republic of Korea at the end of 1997 brought severe pain and suffering. On the other hand, however, it taught us what we had done wrong, what we should do to correct past mistakes and what kind of goals we should have. My Administration, which was launched in 1998, began to resolutely sever the past chains of collusion between politicians and businessmen, the government control of the financial sector, and corruption. This work was pushed under the clear goal of the parallel development of democracy, a market economy and productive welfare. Reform has been continuously pursued in four major areas, namely, the corporate, financial, public and labor sectors. Efforts to raise the competitiveness of businesses by strengthening their knowledge base and enhancing their information capabilities are being accelerated. As a result of the efforts of the entire people, Korea was able to overcome the foreign exchange crisis faster than any other country that had to submit itself to the management of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Thus, we were able to usher in the 21st century with new hopes and dreams. Moreover, the reforms which are currently underway mean that a new economy that will try to meet higher international standards and coprosper with the rest of the world is developing. The Third ASEM which is being held in Seoul at this juncture will be a good opportunity for us to share the experience of the Korean people in overcoming the economic crisis with the rest of the world and to make us a trustworthy partner for developments in the international community. We are living in a tumultuous era. After putting the 20th century, which was an age of national territories and the proliferation of war, behind us, we have entered the 21st century, an age of peace and competition which renders national boundaries meaningless. Now we are heading away from East-West confrontation into an age of cooperation. In these respects, I believe we can broadly define the significance of the Seoul ASEM in four ways. First, the Meeting will be an occasion to confirm that Asia and Europe are justified in making timely efforts to proceed into an age of cooperation. It will be an important meeting because a vision for cooperation between the two regions will be presented and the direction for future developments will be set. The member nations are expected to adopt “The Asia-Europe Cooperation Framework, 2000,” which will indicate the direction for ASEM in the coming decade. It will be an important document that will set the basic direction for ASEM. Therefore, the success of the leaders meeting will be key to cooperation between Asia and Europe. I also expect that the active exchange of opinion will help form a firm chain linking Asia and Europe. To predict the future role of ASEM and the development of relations between Asia and Europe, it is necessary for us to look at the background and motive for the establishment of ASEM. Since the mid-1990s, three major economic blocs—North America, Europe and Asia—were formed due mainly to the rapid economic development in Asia. Among the three blocs, North America and Europe are holding discussions on a Trans-Atlantic Free Trade Area (TAFTA), based on historical and cultural similarities while Asia and North America, too, are steadily pushing economic cooperation and dialogue through the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Exchanges and cooperation between Asia and Europe were relatively minor because of the lack of understanding resulting from the experience of imperialism and the geographic distance. Under these conditions, a consensus developed on the need for a mechanism for exchanges and cooperation between the two regions. Thus, at last, ASEM was formerly launched in Bangkok in March 1996, in accordance with a proposal made by Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong (1). The launching of ASEM brought practical benefits to both Asia and Europe. It provided Asia with a broader market and an opportunity to learn new management techniques and know-how as well as a channel to induce more foreign investment which is most important of all. Europe, too, was able to secure a vast export market for its goods and services. The gross domestic product (GDP) of Asia and Europe in 1999 was US$6.4 trillion and US$8.5 trillion respectively. They account for 20.9 percent and 28 percent, respectively, of the world GDP. The trade between Asia and Europe amounted to about US$6.3 trillion, accounting for about 55 percent of total world trade. When we consider the background and effect of the establishment of ASEM and the importance of the politics, economies, civic affairs and cultures of ASEM member nations, it is obvious why we have to continuously espouse the gradual implementation of open regionalism that was enunciated at the time of its launching. The Eurasian continent that spreads from the Pacific to the Atlantic is a region that has more than half the world population and limitless potential. Although many people point out that the cultures and history of Asia and Europe are very diverse, it is also true that the two regions have many things in common. The two regions developed brilliant civilizations early on. Beginning with the travel to China by Marco Polo, Asia and Europe built up a long history of exchanges and cooperation. These two regions in the 21st century must go on making efforts together for mutual understanding and coprosperity based on this economic, cultural and historical background and the needs of the time. In this respect, ASEM must be a bridge linking Asia and Europe; the third Seoul Meeting will continue such efforts. Second, the Seoul ASEM will be an opportunity for member nations to reaffirm their determination to sustain the development of the inter-continental organization. The four-year old ASEM is at an important turning point. Some people have expressed concern that ASEM has lost its initial momentum because it became engrossed in dealing with the Asia-wide financial crisis that came in 1997, one year after its inauguration. In fact, the Second ASEM which was held in London was dominated by discussions on how to cope with the crisis (3). Now that Asia by and large is recovering from the crisis and enjoying some degree of dynamism, the Seoul ASEM is well poised to be reborn as it delves into the original objectives of the meeting. The future of ASEM depends on how well the organization adapts to the currents of the age and resolves pending problems effectively. In an age characterized by globalization, enhanced information capabilities and interdependence, the world is counting on ASEM to address those issues in realistic and concrete terms. The Seoul Meeting will have to debate pressing political, economic, social and cultural issues. It is incumbent on the members to tackle the adverse effects of a globalized world, the widening gap between the haves and have-nots and the digital divide. By doing so, the ASEM will be able to demonstrate its raison d’etre and its usefulness in the international community. Among the concrete proposals initiated by Korea are the Trans-Eurasian Information Network Project, Initiative to Address the Digital Divide, ASEM Roundtable on Globalization, and ASEM Fellowship Program. Also expected to be on the ASEM agenda are programs involving immigration, information-communications, environmental protection and prevention of international crimes. The Seoul Meeting will certainly review the expansion of inter-regional trade and investment which the ASEM has emphasized from the start. There are some unsolved challenges to the viability of the ASEM, one of them being differences between Europe and Asia on some aspects of its long-term agenda. The differences seem to derive from different histories and traditions. What is needed in this context is for the two sides to recognize the differences candidly and try to solve them through mutual understanding and active dialogue. There will be synergy generated when the two sides make conscious efforts to recognize diversity within the organization. In this way, common efforts to achieve the goals of ASEM as a whole will carry added force. Third, it is very meaningful that ASEM is being held on the Korean Peninsula, the last hot spot of the Cold War era. Since its inception in 1998, my Administration has consistently pushed policies of reconciliation and cooperation with North Korea. When I first proposed the Engagement Policy toward the North, many people were not convinced of its viability, and in fact, it was not easy to carry out the peace initiatives as originally planned. I would not have been successful, had it not been for the determination of the Korean people and the firm support of the international community. In a mere two and a half years, our approach has reaped miraculous results. Leaders of the two Koreas proclaimed the South-North Joint Declaration at the close of the historic June 13-15 inter-Korean summit. In effect, it opened the floodgate of South-North reconciliatory gestures and cooperative exchanges. Hundreds of families living separated on the two sides of the DMZ met for the first time in 50 years. High-level officials from Seoul and Pyongyang have already met several times for inter-Korean economic cooperation. In a move to reduce tension on the peninsula, Defense Ministers from the two sides have met. North Korea’s leader, National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-il is to make a return visit to the South next spring. There is global significance in the endorsement of "Seoul Declaration for Peace on the Korean Peninsual" by the ASEM members for the efforts to achieve rapprochement and bring about peace between the two Koreas. From now on ASEM should be able to assume a greater diplomatic role for international peace and security. The two Koreas have just embarked on a project to reconnect the broken section of the Seoul-Shinuiju Railway. The relinking of the South-North railroad will also be meaningful for Asia-Europe cooperation because it will be the starting and terminal point of the trans-Asia and trans-Europe railways. The “Iron Silk Road” will surely invigorate material and personnel exchanges between the two regions. The intercontinental rail line will become the main highway for building systematic and substantive cooperation and for deepening understanding between the peoples of the two continents. Finally, I would like to reiterate that the importance of the Third ASEM in Seoul lies in its reaffirmation of its goal of the common prosperity and peace for all humanity. Through this forum, the ASEM will demonstrate to the world clearly and successfully that it is instrumental in securing the prosperity and stability of all nations and that it is being operated on the principle of openness, transcending regional bias and egoism in this new century. We Koreans are proud of our tradition of welcoming guests with open hearts. Our ancestors made a point of making special food and sweeping the front yards and even the roads the visitors would be taking. I assure all the ASEM delegates of this same kind of treatment. Autumn 2000 | |||
 | | | |