Australian Prime Minister visits Seoul, emphasizes the need for a bilateral FTA; Seoul hopes to strengthen its defence ties with Beijing through military exchange programme; South Korea’s aid to Japan’s quake victims reaches $52 mln
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Whatsapp
  • Linkedin
  • Print

    • Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard went on a visit to Seoul on April 23 following her visit to Japan. During her visit, she addressed a ceremony commemorating the 60th anniversary of a fierce battle at Gapyeong in Gyeonggi Province, in which, Australian force, along with the force of other allied powers, assisted South Korea in preventing Chinese breakthrough towards Seoul. That battle, according to Gillard, proved Australia as “a reliable and courageous ally.” Later on, the Prime Minister also emphasized the necessity of concluding a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between South Korea and Australia as early as possible so that economic cooperation between the two countries could be strengthened further.1

    Reports noted that as part of its efforts to forge a ‘strategic cooperative partnership’ between Seoul and Beijing, the Lee Myung-bak government in South Korea is hoping to reach a bilateral agreement with China next month on a military exchange programme. However, China has made it clear that in order to materialize such programme, the South would have to scrap its continued exchange programmes with Taipei. If Seoul gives in and decides to scrap its defence ties with Taipei, it will have a far reaching impact not only on South Korea-Taiwan relations, but also on China-North Korea relations.2

    Reports noted that South Korea’s aid to the quake victims of Japan has reportedly surpassed 57 billion won (US $ 52 million). However following the deterioration of South Korea-Japan relations following territorial dispute over Dokdo recently, the South’s donation for that cause has witnessed a sharp decline. It is worth noting that on March 30, 2011, Japan renewed its sovereignty claim over Dokdo in new middle school textbooks.3 Seoul-Tokyo relations might witness further downhill as Japan’s main opposition party-the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)- has recently opposed the return of royal Korean books looted by imperial Japan during its colonial rule in the South.4

    Top