Agreement to upgrade bilateral relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

President Yoon Seok-yeol and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a summit on September 23. The two leaders agreed to take the bilateral relationship to the next level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership alongside strengthening cooperation in economic and security of key minerals.  

They held a joint press conference at the press center in a building in Ottawa this afternoon and announced the results of the summit meeting with these details. After taking office, President Yoon had his first meeting with the Canadian Prime Minister at the NATO summit held in Madrid, Spain, in late June, and this summit was held in three months.

In a joint press conference, they disclosed the following agreements: ∼Strengthening economic security by establishing a supply system for key mineral resources ∼Cooperation on ‘global digital transformation’ through AI and digital combination ∼Creating synergy through cooperation in clean hydrogen production and distribution ∼Close cooperation for North Korea’s denuclearization and expansion of communication with people-to-people strategies ∼Promotion of people-to-people and cultural exchanges on the occasion of the 60th  anniversary of diplomatic ties. 

Prime Minister Trudeau said that he talked with Yoon about the ways he could work together in many ways, and they would be able to collaborate with key minerals, electric vehicle batteries, and AI, and they are actually seeing many results. He added that they, as two democratic nations, talked about Ukraine and condemned Russia, and they pointed out that democracies around the world have decided to fight Putin. Regarding the North, he expressed support for President Yoon's efforts to denuclearize North Korea, adding that the nuclear deterrence is more important not only on the Korean Peninsula but also globally. 

Yoon said "Today's summit is significant as the international community is facing complex challenges such as pandemics, supply chain disruptions, and climate change. Korea and Canada agreed to work closely together based on the core values and achievements shared by the two countries." 

In relation to strengthening economic and security cooperation, Yoon said "Canada, a global mineral producer, and Korea, a major producer of semiconductors and batteries, play an important role in the global supply chain. To secure a stable supply chain, we will establish a cooperative system in the field of mineral resources between the two governments and companies in the future." 

Regarding the joint creation of future industrial growth engines, Yoon said "Canada, a developed country in artificial intelligence, and Korea, a country in digital innovation, promised to cooperate for global digital transformation. Also as both countries declared their goals for 2050 carbon neutrality and decarbonization, the two leaders decided to derive a high level of synergy based on their respective strengths in clean hydrogen production and distribution. 

Korea and Canada will celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year. Taking this opportunity, the two countries decided to promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges. 

Yoon said "We deeply sympathized with the fact that the long history of exchanges and ties between the peoples of the two countries has become a solid foundation for the development of bilateral relations."

The two leaders agreed to hold a cultural exchange event next year and designate 2024-2025 as the 'Korea-Canada Year of Mutual Cultural Exchange'. 

During the Korean War, Canada was a traditional ally, sending the third largest number of soldiers (about 27,000) after the United States and Britain. The two countries also agreed to strengthen strategic cooperation for peace and prosperity in the region based on traditional friendly relations.

Yoon said "The two countries shared a common understanding of concerns over the increasingly sophisticated North Korean nuclear and missile threat, and agreed to closely cooperate for the denuclearization of North Korea, while expanding communication in the process of establishing the Indo-Pacific strategy."

President Yoon also formally requested Prime Minister Trudeau at the joint press conference to visit Korea in the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year. 

At the Q&A, when asked to elaborate on the benefits of investing in Canada's core minerals, Yoon said "If we depend heavily on essential materials from a country that does not share our values, we can suffer a major strategic loss. Finding a stable supply chain for key materials and minerals in Canada is a strategically important issue for both countries." 

 

Yoon delivers a keynote speech at the 77th UN General Assembly

President Yoon delivered a keynote speech at the 77th high-level session of the UN General Assembly on the morning of September 20. 

President Yoon delivered a speech entitled <Freedom and Solidarity: Answers to the Watershed Moment>: He expressed his will to lead cooperation and international solidarity between countries for the protection of the international order based on the universal values and norms of freedom, human rights, and the rule of law, and declared that he would actively participate in the efforts of the international community to promote peace and prosperity for future generations. 

He said that the threat of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, and the collective violation of human rights are endangering the freedom and peace of global citizens, and that diseases, hunger, illiteracy, energy crises and social deprivation are rampant around the world. He stressed, therefore, that the responsibility and role of the United Nations is more important than ever.

He pointed out that all these challenges can be overcome through strong support and solidarity with the universal norms system that the United Nations and the international community have accumulated over the years. In particular, he urged the United Nations to pay greater attention to not only safeguarding international peace and security, but also to achieving social progress and improving the standard of living of mankind. 

"True freedom is not only being free from bondage, but having the opportunity to realize one's self as a human being. True peace is not the absence of war, but the resolution of conflicts and antagonisms that hold back the common prosperity of mankind and laying the foundation for prosperity.“ 

In order to contribute to the progress of the international community and the improvement of living standards, he presented ways for Korea to contribute to the wold's health, security, climate change response, digital technology, and economic contribution. 

As for health, he announced plans to host the ACT-A initiative, the World Bank's Financial Intermediation Fund, and the global fund contribution, participate in negotiations for the World Health Organization (WHO) pandemic agreement, and hold the Global Health and Security Initiative (GHSA) Ministerial Meeting in Seoul in November this year. 

As for climate change, he announced policies to expand Green ODA, support the transition to low-carbon energy for developing countries, and share innovative green technologies. 

As for digital technology, he announced plans to expand the international transfer and sharing of Korean e-government technology, and to share international education and investment infrastructure in the digital technology field.

President Yoon emphasizes that only solidarity that strives to share, preserve, and extend the universal value of freedom is the fundamental solution to all crises. 

He concluded his speech by calling for the confident support of global citizens and international leaders for the systems of the United Nations and universal norms. 

This speech is the first keynote speech of Yoon at the UN General Assembly. It is a statement of what kind of diplomatic vision and international solidarity the Yoon administration will pursue. His speech is regarded as an opportunity to solidify the support of the international community in expanding the peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and the global society. 

백종원 기자  bridgekorea@naver.com