PM Luxon in South Korea
5 September 2024
Christopher Luxon has been in bilateral talks with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. The New Zealand Prime Minister is in Seoul, on his first trip to South Korea since taking office in 2023. During a bilateral summit meeting on September 4 most of the discussion was trade-related, including the announcement of a regular bilateral economic security dialogue.
In his opening remarks the PM referenced the popularity of Korean culture in NZ.
“It's a country best known to New Zealanders for the energy and the creativity of your k pop and your TV shows. It's the birthplace of a very famous Korean kiwi, Lydia Ko an Olympic champion golfer, someone who's just recently won the British Open and I think she embodies the very best of both New Zealand and Korea” he said.
Christopher Luxon also reportedly voiced support for South Korea’s new “Unification Doctrine” which seeks to promote “frreedom-based unification” of the two Koreas under ROK.
The doctrine lays out a unification plan based on liberal democracy, trade and economic cooperation, as well as convincing North Koreans to move towards unification by increasing their access to information from the outside world.
The two leaders noted that it's been a successful decade since a Korean New Zealand Free Trade Agreement came into effect, with trade volumes doubling in that time.
The PM also confirmed that the two nations will begin talks to entre into a comprehensive strategic partnership.
““Korea and New Zealand are likeminded democracies and natural partners in the Indo Pacific. As such, we have decided to advance discussions on elevating the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership which recognises the close ties that stem from more than sixty years of diplomatic relations,” Mr Luxon said.
The two leaders also took the opportunity to condemn North Korea’ continuing nuclear and missile development programme and were also critical of the deepening relationship between North Korea and Russia.
South Korea has directly accused the North of supplying arms to Russia for use in the Ukraine war, in return for much-needed economic assistance.
Earlier this year the North Korean disctator Kim Jong Un signed an agreement with Moscow which confirmed Russia and North Korea would come to the others aid, if they were attacked.
The PM concludes his two-day visit to South Korea today.
-Asia Media Centre