First Multilateral Summit Meeting Since Yoon Administration Inauguration
Discussion on Future Cooperation Plans
President Taedoguk Visits Bukhang Stage at Busan Expo
President Yoon Suk-yeol will meet with the leaders of Pacific Island countries in Korea on the 29th and 30th to review the current cooperation status and discuss future cooperation plans. In particular, President Yoon plans to explore ways to contribute to these countries as part of Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy.
Lee Do-woon, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, announced in a written briefing that the "2023 Korea-Pacific Island Countries Summit" will be held on the 29th and 30th under the theme "Navigating towards Co-Prosperity: Strengthening Cooperation with the Blue Pacific."
The Korea-Pacific Island Countries Summit is the first in-person multilateral summit held in Korea since the inauguration of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.
President Yoon invited the leaders of the 18 member countries of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), including French overseas territories, along with the PIF Secretary-General and their spouses.
The 18 PIF member countries consist of 14 Pacific Island countries (Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu), 2 French overseas territories (French Polynesia, New Caledonia), Australia, and New Zealand.
Confirmed attending leaders include Mark Brown, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, the chair country of the PIF; Sitiveni Rabuka, Prime Minister of Fiji; Taneti Maamau, President of Kiribati; Dalton Tagelagi, Prime Minister of Niue; Surangel Whipps Jr., President of Palau; James Marape, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea; David Kabua, President of the Marshall Islands; Manasseh Sogavare, Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands; Siaosi Sovaleni, Prime Minister of Tonga; Kausea Natano, Prime Minister of Tuvalu; Ismael Kalsakau, Prime Minister of Vanuatu; Moetai Brotherson, President of French Polynesia; Louis Mapou, President of New Caledonia; and Henry Puna, Secretary-General of the PIF.
Spokesperson Lee explained that about ten heads of state are expected to attend the summit, and for countries whose leaders are unable to attend, high-ranking officials designated by the respective leaders will participate instead. However, he added that due to weather conditions in the Pacific Islands, flights may be suddenly canceled, so the final list of attending countries will be confirmed closer to the meeting date.
The main summit session will be held on the afternoon of the 29th. The meeting will be divided into two sessions. The first session, chaired by President Yoon, will review the current cooperation between Korea and the Pacific Island countries and exchange views on future cooperation directions. The second session, hosted by the Cook Islands as the PIF chair country, will discuss regional situations and international cooperation measures. Mutual interests and cooperation topics related to the Busan Expo are also expected to be addressed.
Before the main summit session, President Yoon plans to hold individual bilateral meetings with leaders from about ten countries from the afternoon of the 28th to the morning of the 29th. On the evening of the 29th, an official dinner hosted by President Yoon and First Lady Kim Keon-hee will take place.
On the 30th, the Pacific Island leaders will move to Busan to attend side events visiting the North Port area, the venue for the Busan World Expo. Additionally, a separate spouses' program will be held during the summit for the leaders' spouses.
So far, countries that have held separate summits with Pacific Island countries include the United States, Japan, France, China, and India, with the United States hosting the first such meeting last year.
The government explained that the Korea-Pacific Island Countries Summit will mark the full-scale implementation of the Indo-Pacific strategy announced last year.
Since first announcing the Korea-style Indo-Pacific strategy at the ASEAN summit held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in November last year, President Yoon has been revealing specific contribution plans during international meetings.
Regarding the Pacific Island countries, the strategy recognizes the urgent climate crisis as a shared international challenge for humanity and states the intention to expand engagement and contributions to the Pacific Island countries.
Spokesperson Lee said, "By expressing a strong commitment to contributing to the Pacific Island countries at this summit, it will serve as an opportunity to expand our diplomatic horizon to the Pacific and strengthen our responsible contribution diplomacy."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
