Pakistan-South Korea Ties

(Amna Malik, Islamabad)

In resonance with the rapidly changing geo-strategic realities in today’s world, Pakistan strongly believes in peace and stability in the region to focus on development, and promote trade activates with neighboring and regional countries. It has been the desire of Pakistan to promote cultural and educational activities, to provide access to Central Asian states to the Warm Water Ports and work for the welfare of the poor people of the region—especially against poverty and diseases. Pakistan also desires to focus on the fields of research and advanced technology. The foreign policy of a state is always formulated according to its regional environment, national interests, capabilities, and ideologies.

Hence, for Pakistan, the foreign policy is based on cordiality with all the neighbors as well as those in the region with equal attention towards strong social, cultural and trade relations. To this purpose, Pakistan has always tried to explore the venues amongst its friendly and well-wishing nations in the region like China, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Sri Lanka. S.Korea too, to me, is one such nation with whom Pakistan also wants to build up cordial and friendly relations. Both Pakistan and S.Korea are enjoying their bilateral, diplomatic and friendly relations since 1983.

Though the two Asian nations share historic, cultural, geographic, and economic links, their relationship needs further boosting for the better interest of them both. South Korea is the 26th largest country in the world by population and its development over the last half century has been nothing short of spectacular. Fifty years ago, the country was poorer than Bolivia and Mozambique; but today, it is richer than New Zealand and Spain and stands with the Brazilian and Indian economy. Korea also took the 14th positions on the list of fastest economically growing countries by their GDP.

Presently, it has an export-oriented economy with a per capita income. Now its economy has grown by an average of seven percent annually. South Korea joined the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the club of rich industrialized countries, and in 2010, it became the first Asian country and the first non-G-7 member to host a G-20 summit. Today South Korea is a rich, technologically advanced, mature democracy with an impressive record of innovation, economic reform, and sound leadership. This country also enjoys relative political stability and is making impressive economic progress. With the spirit of defeatism that so long prevailed among the Korean people, the key element is a new feeling of self-reliance and self-assurance that has begun to pervade the country. "We can do it ourselves" has become the motto of the Korean people. South Korea has also ended her long international isolation by seeking a significant role in regional and international affairs. Today Korea had succeeded using Pakistan’s model of development and got the exemplary position in the world. Its economy was based solely on its will to be self-reliant by manufacturing, targeting export markets and the establishment of nuclear power plant. So with geographical as well as Asia’s perspective, if we look forward our bilateral and cordial relationships with Korean peninsula than it should be more deep and strong because there are many areas in which both countries can boost their ties and improve the living standard of their people.

The current government of Pakistan has already shown its interest to boost its ties with S.Korea. During both countries’ diplomatic relations, it was for the first time that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif offered S.Korea a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and strategic business partnership and expressed the resolve that the S.Korean investors would be provided with all the facilities in Pakistan. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif extended these commitments during a meeting with the Republic of Korea’s Prime Minister Chung Hongwon, who called on him along with a high-level delegation at the PM House one year ago on April 15, 2014. Mian Nawaz Sharif also offered huge opportunities to the Korean business companies in energy generation, including Hydel, wind, solar, biomass and coal generation. While welcoming the Korean PM, Nawaz Sharif said, “We are very happy to host you as the first-ever Korean prime minister to visit Pakistan since the establishment of our diplomatic relations 31 years ago. It is my government’s determination to strengthen and expand the relations with the Republic of Korea in all fields.” He also said that the traditional cordial relationship between Pakistan and the Republic of Korea needed to be transformed into a substantive partnership in trade, investment, energy and infrastructure.

The Korean prime minister, on the occasion, thanked PM Nawaz Sharif, the government and the people of Pakistan for extending a warm welcome during his visit. Chang Hongwon also expressed this desire and said that Pakistan and Korea should expand their trade, economy and energy sectors and enhance the bilateral relations by increasing personnel exchanges in the private sector. It was a very significant development achieved by the leadership of both countries. It is the need of the hour to embark on a new era of relationship with South Korea. Luckily, it was the desire of Pakistan (particularly the Muslim League-Nawaz party’s federal government) to coexist with all the countries in a peaceful and friendly atmosphere and boost its socio- economic ties in the best interest of the population.

It’s true that Pakistan and S.Korea have many areas to boost their bilateral ties. However, there is also a need for medium and long-term cooperation. The two governments must promote interaction and cooperation between their private sectors and regular interaction between the respective Boards of Investment and chambers of commerce and industry. Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Shareef also vowed that, we are taking menace of terrorism head on and will go anywhere in Pakistan to eliminate it in totality, we have to collectively put in efforts to give our next generation a terrorist free country, to provide them conducive environment, to help them apply their knowledge and creativity to achieve optimum effects for national growth. General Raheel Shareef gives the entire world and nation an impression that the Armed Forces of Pakistan will never back off and will continue the aggression till elimination of terrorists, forces are carrying out operation Zarb-e-Azab for this purpose. Today Pakistan is safe and secure and will be more in the day to come. So, it is high time S.Korea reconsiders the comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) offered it by Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, because the landmark “Free Economic Zone” agreement along with the Pak-China Economic Corridor is going to start which also seems to offer great investment opportunities to Korean investors. In this Economic Zone, Korean SMEs in manufacturing sector to cater for a large and growing domestic market as well as Korean and regional markets. Pakistan and S.Korea could explore further avenues in defense industry cooperation. It can include modernization and expansion of Pakistan’s ship building industry. The current government of Pakistan gives high priority to its ties with S.Korea and places this relationship at high esteem. So there should be further strengthening of people-to-people contacts and parliamentary linkages. For this purpose, Pakistan already has created the Pak-Korea friendship group in the National Assembly which aims at promoting bilateral cooperation at parliamentary level.

At this stage, both countries should forge deep understanding and co-operation with various international organizations and regional bodies. The media in Pakistan and S.Korea can also play a pivotal role in promoting economic and cultural relations between the two countries. Pakistan could benefit from Korea's experience and technologies to attain economic prosperity along the same lines. Both countries need for closer economic interaction and ways to tap avenues which could generate more opportunities to boost their ties.

If South Korea and Pakistan are to reap the full benefits of their cordial relations, both countries need to staff it with top experts committed to building a forward-looking socio-economic partnership and trade. For Pakistan in particular, if it is to take full advantage of the potential benefits on offer through a cooperation and trade agreement with S.Korea and thereby translate its global and domestic aspirations into reality. Moreover, the government must bolster its cadre of social economic experts who can effectively serve both countries’ national interests. The dialogue is very important to share experiences and utilize them in future policies. Both the countries should, therefore, continue mutual contact for expanding cooperation in various areas and alter them from bilateral to multilateral levels.

Amna Malik
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