President Park Geun-hye came back to Korea on June 5 after completing her 12-day state visit to Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya and France.
The latest presidential trip has brought many fruitful outcomes across a wide range of sectors, ranging from security, business and developmental cooperation, through to the arts, sports and personnel exchanges, too.
The most noticeable outcomes were cooperation on North Korean policies. President Park persuaded the three African nations to take part in further efforts by the international community to add pressure to Pyongyang. She also reaffirmed cooperation with France to work together on a resolution of North Korean nuclear weapons issues and received support from Paris for Seoul’s North Korean policies.
President Park Geun-hye (left) and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni hold summit talks in Kampala on May 29 where the Ugandan leader vowed to halt military cooperation between his country and North Korea. Uganda decided to bolster cooperation with Seoul in the areas of the economy, development and national defense.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said he would stop cooperation with North Korea on security, military and police matters, even as Pyongyang has been a traditional ally of his country. He further said that his administration would faithfully implement United Nations Security Council resolutions.
The Ugandan government’s decisions caught the attention of leading media outlets from around the world, too. The Wall Street Journal published an article titled “Victory for South Korea After North Loses Uganda as a Military Ally” on May 30. The daily said, “An end to military links between Uganda and North Korea would represent a victory for South Korean President Park Geun-hye as she tries to disrupt Pyongyang’s diplomatic and financial network to discourage the country’s nuclear-arms development.”
President Park Geun-hye (left) and French President Francois Hollande hold a joint press conference after summit talks at the Elysee Palace in Paris on June 3. The two leaders adopted a joint declaration to mark the 130th anniversary of the establishment of Korea-France diplomatic ties.
Following her trips to Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya, President Park paid a state visit to France to hold summit talks with French President Francois Hollande on June 3. Through the summit, President Park secured the French government’s support for her government’s North Korea policy, including Seoul’s stance on North Korean nuclear weapons issues.
President Hollande said, “As a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, France will make an all-out effort to hamper Pyongyang from making provocative acts.” The joint declaration expressed the common will of the two leaders, too. Both countries stated in the joint declaration that they would uphold U.N. sanctions and take additional steps, if necessary, to make sure that the North abandons its nuclear weapons.
President Park Geun-hye talks with Ethiopian students after offering them packs of stationery during the launch of Korea Aid at Addis Ababa University on May 28. Korea officially launched the new developmental aid program that day, and had follow-up ceremonies in Uganda and Kenya.
This latest presidential trip also won more outcomes than expected for the Korean economy. In terms of business cooperation, Korea focused on cooperation in selected sectors, customized for each of the three African partners.
In the case of Ethiopia, it was the textile industry. Korea and Ethiopia signed four memorandums of understanding in the textile industry, in line with the country’s national development policy to enlarge the textile sector as one of its core industries. The two countries also agreed to build a special industrial complex for textiles at the Adama industrial complex.
Korea and Uganda agreed to strengthen cooperation on the agricultural sector by sharing technology expertise and by developing the farming sector. The two nations signed four MOUs in the agricultural sector and established a National Farmers’ Leadership Center in the rural district of Mpigi, Uganda. .
Korea and Kenya concentrated on cooperation in the energy and infrastructure sectors. The two countries agreed to encourage more Korean firms to participate in Kenya’s long-term national development strategy, Vision 2030. The two governments also agreed to boost cooperation on nuclear energy and electricity generation, and signed MOUs on cooperation in that regard.
Along with the economic cooperation, the Korean government vowed to share its developmental experiences, such as its five-year economic development plans, with its African partners, in order to help these countries’ developmental efforts. The government launched a new developmental aid program, Korea Aid which provides healthcare and food relief, as well as Korean media and content, to remote communities that lack access to medical services. Korea Aid launched in all three East African nations, Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya.
President Park Geun-hye test-drives a hydrogen-powered taxi at an Air Liquide research center in the southeastern French city of Grenoble on June 4. President Park inspected the research center to learn more about hydrogen car development technologies.
In Paris, Korea and France agreed to deepen cooperation on the creative industries and to move toward a shared vision of cultural enrichment. The two governments agreed to bolster cooperation and exchanges in the new industrial sectors of biotechnology, IT and on combining technologies and the arts and media. President Park and President Hollande stated in their joint declaration that, “Korea and France will encourage cooperation on the development of the creative economy, relying on science and advanced technologies, as well as on the wealth of their respective cultural heritages.”
President Park Geun-hye waves to the audience during a K-pop concert, part of KCON France 2016, at the Accor Hotels Arena in Paris on June 2.
The presidential visits shone in terms of the arts, pop culture and overall diplomacy.
During a Korean promotional event in Nairobi, President Park said, “The arts narrow the distance between peoples, and help them to communicate, beyond national borders,” emphasizing the importance of sharing cultural understanding, as well as the economic cooperation, with partner countries.
During her three-country African trip, promotional events took place to introduce both traditional and modern Korea and to share in the traditions of the host country, winning favorable responses from local citizens in all three capitals.
In France, a gala K-pop concert, part of KCON France 2016, took place in Paris, the first time for the KCON concert series to come to Europe. The concert, attended by President Park herself, proved just how popular K-pop really is among its fans in Europe. Fans of Korean pop and media gathered at the venue two days ahead of opening, some even camping out as they waited for KCON to open its doors. Despite the rain on opening day, they couldn’t hide their excitement for the long-awaited K-pop concert.
Pop groups Shinee, the Bangtan Boys, Block B and F. T. Island sing along to the traditional Korean folk song ‘Arirang’ during KCON France 2016, at the Accor Hotels Arena in Paris on June 2.
Despite the rainy weather, K-pop fans from across Europe are delighted to attend a pop concert that’s part of KCON France 2016, in Paris on June 2.
President Park Geun-hye speaks to the audience after the K-culture in Nairobi concert on May 31.
By Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Jeon Han Korea.net Photographer, Cheong Wa Dae
arete@korea.kr
