New Zealand voices support for Seoul's N. Korea policy

0 Comments | Asian Political News, May 21, 2001

SEOUL, May 15 Kyodo

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark met Tuesday with South Korean President Kim Dae Jung and voiced support for his policy of creating peace on the Korean Peninsula through actively promoting exchanges and cooperation with North Korea.

Clark, who arrived Sunday in Seoul for a four-day visit, reiterated her country's support for Kim's so-called ''Sunshine Policy'' of engagement with Pyongyang in talks at the Blue House presidential office, the office said in a statement.

During the talks, Kim explained to Clark his government's efforts to promote reconciliation and cooperation with North Korea, and briefed her on the current situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Kim's Sunshine Policy is aimed at ending the Cold-War regime on the peninsula and helping North Korea turn to a policy of openness and change that will eventually lead to its giving up of the strategy to communize the South by force.

Pursued in tandem with military deterrence, it entails pursuing more contacts and interaction with the North and promoting economic exchanges and cooperation based on the principle of separation of economic activities from politics.

New Zealand established diplomatic ties with North Korea earlier this year.

Clark and Kim also discussed matters related to boosting economic and other ties between New Zealand and South Korea, the statement said.

In an address Tuesday to a Seoul business luncheon, Clark, who was accompanied to Seoul by a senior New Zealand business delegation, noted that South Korea is now New Zealand's fifth largest export destination, and is jostling Britain for fourth place.

She urged South Korean investment in New Zealand's forestry processing infrastructure and said she saw ''good potential for New Zealand and Korea to cooperate in niche areas of New Zealand science and technology expertise'' such as food processing, forestry and telecommunications.''

Clark is scheduled to meet with major South Korean business leaders and main opposition Grand National Party leader Lee Hoi Chang on Wednesday.