Kim Hyun-bin began his journalism career at Arirang TV from 2012 to 2017, specializing in defense, foreign affairs and the economy. In 2018, he joined The Korea Times, covering society and business, and is currently responsible for embassy affairs.
Taipei envoy stresses shared democratic values, growing exchanges
Head of the Taipei Mission in Korea Gow-wei Chiou speaks during the 114th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China (Taiwan) event in Seoul, Friday. Korea Times photo by Kim Hyun-bin
By Kim Hyun-bin
Gow-wei Chiou, head of the Taipei Mission in Korea, said Friday that Taiwan and Korea are bound by deep historical ties and a shared commitment to freedom and democracy, calling the two societies “pillars of democracy in the Asia-Pacific region.”
Speaking at a reception in Seoul marking the 114th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China (Taiwan) — also known as Double Tenth Day — Chiou welcomed guests and thanked them for joining the celebration of Taiwan’s national day.
“Taiwan and the Republic of Korea share a long-standing friendship based on common democratic values,” Chiou said. “As Korea marks the 80th anniversary of its liberation this year, we are once again reminded of the preciousness of freedom and democracy.”
Chiou, who previously served at Taiwan’s Consulate in Busan more than three decades ago, highlighted the dramatic expansion of people-to-people exchanges between the two sides.
When he first worked in Korea 33 years ago, only around 450,000 people traveled between Taiwan and Korea each year. The figure has grown to 2.6 million and is projected to exceed 3 million by the end of this year.
He noted that youth exchange and cultural affinity have strengthened bilateral ties, with Korea now ranking among the top destinations for young Taiwanese travelers and working holiday participants. Korean pop culture — from K-dramas and K-pop to professional baseball cheerleaders — enjoys widespread popularity in Taiwan, while in Korea, the so-called “Mandarin-style sentiment” trend has made Taiwan a favored travel destination.
“Our growing exchanges show that mutual understanding and friendship between our peoples continue to deepen,” he said.
Chiou also pointed to strong cooperation in trade and technology, noting that two-way trade reached $64.5 billion in 2024, making Korea Taiwan’s fourth-largest trading partner, while Taiwan ranks as Korea’s fifth-largest.
He cited the partnership between TSMC and SK hynix in supplying high-bandwidth memory chips for Nvidia’s artificial intelligence servers, describing it as a model of democratic supply chain cooperation.
On the diplomatic front, Chiou said Taiwan is pursuing what President Lai Ching-te has termed “integrated diplomacy” built on three pillars: values, alliances and the economy.
He emphasized that Taiwan seeks to strengthen collaboration with like-minded countries, including Korea, to safeguard peace, stability and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait and Indo-Pacific region.
“The safer Taiwan is, the safer the world becomes. A stronger Taiwan makes the global democratic defense line more resilient,” he said.
Chiou cautioned that authoritarian powers are resorting to “gray zone tactics and economic coercion” to weaken democracy and regional stability. He said Taiwan would continue to pursue peace as the sole course for cross-strait relations while reinforcing its defenses and resilience.
“Taiwan’s democratic strength lies in its courage and wisdom not to back down in the face of challenges,” he said. “We will keep working with fellow democracies to uphold freedom, peace and shared prosperity.”