President Lee Stresses Global Diplomacy
By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter
South Korea plans to launch diplomatic outreach programs embracing African and Asian countries this year based on its pledge to become a more responsible member of the global community.
President Lee Myung-bak said in his New Year's address Monday that he would upgrade diplomatic relations with countries all over the world, particularly Asian and African countries, on the occasion of Korea's hosting of the G20 Summit, slated for November.
The programs reflect confidence that Korea's ties with its traditional allies, such as the United States and Japan, have improved significantly since Lee took office in February 2008.
``I will step up efforts to foster closer relations with Japan and China. I will also strengthen my New Asia Initiative to embrace other Asian nations,'' Lee said during the nationally-televised address. ``In particular, I will focus on diplomacy with African countries this year.''
As part of efforts to raise the country's international status, the government is seeking to expand development assistance to poor countries and increase its participation in the U.N.'s peacekeeping missions in conflict areas, Lee said.
Policymakers here hope the country's hosting of the G20 Summit will serve as a turning point for the country, which was once a major recipient of international aid, to join the ranks of the world's mainstream economies, as the summit will provide a venue for major economies to set a future course of action for the global economy.
Korea is the first Asian country to host the forum of the world's 20 major economic powers, which was launched in September last year to coordinate a global plan to fight the worst recession since the Great Depression. The G20 nations account for about 85 percent of global output.
As the host nation, Korea has the right to invite some non-G20 member nations to the summit. The countries, which are expected to be from Asia and Africa, will be selected early this year.
Officials here say stronger ties with African and Asian countries are crucial to prepare for a global paradigm shift toward a ``green economy'' and to strengthen energy security.
To those ends, Korea announced a plan last year to triple its economic aid to poor countries around the world to 0.25 percent of its gross national income by 2015 to help achieve more balanced global economic growth.
The Lee administration has already agreed with African and Southeast Asian countries to promote exchanges of green growth technologies.
At the Korea-Africa Forum held in Seoul in November, the two sides adopted the Korea-Africa Green Growth Initiative, under which they will strengthen cooperation in the areas of water supply, sewerage, waste treatment and management of air pollution.
They also agreed to exchange green technologies and launch joint eco-tourism and biomass energy projects in a bid to help resolve global environmental issues and contribute to the creation of ``green markets.''
President Lee also proposed joint projects with ASEAN, an economic bloc of 10 Southeast Asian nations, at the ASEAN-Korea Summit last May on the southern resort island of Jeju to promote green growth and tourism exchanges.