1. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, who is on a tour of the South Pacific region, visited Fiji on September 14 after visiting Australia and New Zealand from September 11 through 13. In Fiji, the Minister held a meeting and a luncheon with his Fijian counterpart Inoke Kubuabola in which they discussed ways to promote the Republic of Korea-Fiji bilateral relations and cooperation with Pacific island countries as well as on the international stage, including the UN; issues concerning the Korean Peninsula; and such global issues as climate change and development cooperation.

◦ Prior to the meeting with his counterpart, Minister Yun paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Josaia Vorege Bainimarama and exchanged views with him on major matters of concern, including the climate change issue facing the South Pacific countries.

2. The two Ministers attached special significance to the fact that Minister Yun’s visit to Fiji marked the first of its kind by an ROK Foreign Minister in 44 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1971. In particular, Minister Yun expressed hope that his visit will help promote the friendly and cooperative ties as well as close cooperation between the Northeast Asian middle power country of the ROK and the key Pacific island country of Fiji, and thereby contribute to enhancing the connectivity among Northeast Asia and Northwest and South Pacific regions.

◦ Minister Kubuabola, mentioning that Fiji plays the role as the region’s hub by being the only South Pacific country operating direct flights to the ROK, voiced hope that the ROK will continue to be Fiji’s best partner for substantive cooperation in the areas of renewable energy, development of marine resources, development of ports and development cooperation, etc.

◦ The two Ministers agreed to work closely together for the success of key ongoing bilateral projects, including a biomass power plant project, the exploration of seafloor hydrothermal deposits and the development project to build a port in Fiji, which are being conducted by Korean companies and the Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute in cooperation with Fijian partners.

3. Minister Yun explained in detail the significance of the inter-Korean agreement reached on August 25, the possibility of North Korea’s strategic provocations and the ROK government’s efforts toward the denuclearization of North Korea as well as its policy for a peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula. Minister Kubuabola commended the ROK for its calm and restrained response to the recent provocations from North Korea. He also mentioned that peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula is important to Fiji as well, as it is stepping up substantive cooperation with the ROK under its “Look North Policy.” In that light, he conveyed strong support for the ROK government’s policies toward North Korea, including the zero-tolerance stance toward the North Korean nuclear program and the initiative for a peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula.

4. Minister Kubuabola, explaining the recent developments in the regional consultative mechanisms among Pacific island countries, including the outcome of the third summit of the Pacific Island Development Forum (PIDF) held in Fiji in early September, voiced hope for continued strengthening of the cooperation between the ROK and the region.

◦ Minister Yun explained the ROK government’s policy toward the South Pacific region, adding that, having hosted the second ROK-Pacific Islands Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Seoul in November 2014, the ROK government invited Fiji and other Pacific Island countries to the third ROK-Pacific Island Countries Senior Officials’ Meeting, scheduled for October 2015.

◦ In particular, Minister Yun mentioned that beginning in 2015, the ROK government will double its contribution to the ROK-PIF Cooperation Fund, which has been in operation since 2008 to support efforts of Pacific island countries to build capacity for responding to climate change and managing marine and fishery resources in a sustainable way. He added that a new project to build monitoring systems for illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing operations and marine pollution will be conducted in 2015-2017. In response, Minister Kubuabola extended deep appreciation.

5. The two Ministers shared the view that the climate change issue is not merely an issue of environmental adjustment but an existential issue for the Pacific island countries. They agreed to work closely together to extend relevant assistance to Pacific islands and other developing countries through the Global Climate Fund (GCF) and the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), both of which are headquartered in the ROK. They also agreed to work together for the success of the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which is set to take place in Paris, France, later this year.

◦ Minister Yun, highlighting the importance of implementing the new development goals after their adoption, emphasized that the ROK will seek to make every possible contribution in that regard as a new donor country, including by sharing its development experiences.

◦ The two Ministers agreed to work closely together, including by supporting each other, on the international stage.

6. Minister Yun wrapped up his four-day diplomatic activities in the Pacific countries of Australia, New Zealand and Fiji. His tour of these countries has served as an opportunity to step up substantive cooperation with the countries at both bilateral and regional levels and to reaffirm the unwavering support of these countries for the ROK government’s policies toward the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.

◦ Minister Yun’s tour of the Pacific countries also served as an opportunity to broaden the ROK’s global diplomatic horizon beyond Southeast and Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and the Arctic to include the South Pacific region and the Antarctic. In particular, a stronger relationship with Fiji, which has great influence in the South Pacific region, is expected to serve as a basis for the ROK to further strengthen its minilateral cooperation (PIF, PIDF, etc.) in the South Pacific region as well as cooperation on climate change and development with countries in the region.


* unofficial translation