Committee Programme; South Korean Delegation: discussion

Meeting report

FOREIGN AFFAIRS PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
13 November 2002
COMMITTEE PROGRAMME; SOUTH KOREAN DELEGATION: DISCUSSION

Documents handed out:
Committee Programme July 2002-November 2002 (Appendix 1)
Draft Programme First Term 2003 (Appendix 2)

Chairperson: Mr. Sithole (Acting ) (ANC)

SUMMARY
The Committee wound up its business for 2002 session and unveiled the projected programme for next year.

The South Korean government thanked South Africans who participated in its country's liberation war and especially those who lost their loved ones in the process.

MINUTES
Committee Programme
Mr. Sithole tabled the report on the Committee's business for July - November 2002 period and invited members to comment on it.

Ms Cindi (ANC) noted that the address to the Committee by the Palestinian ambassador was not listed in the report.

The Chair noted the omission and promised to include the item in the report. He outlined the programme for 2003 business. The Committee would organise a seminar on South African Foreign Policy and a regional meeting on Nepad and the AU where at Departments of Justice, the DTI and SANDF would be invited to participate.

The Chair noted that the Committee hoped to invite academics and other interest groups to brainstorm on the crises in Zimbabwean and the Middle East and possibly hold public hearings. The Committee would continue its weekly interaction with key embassies in Europe, Russia and Africa. Interacaction would continue on the Burundian peace process and also two to three day public hearings on the problem of xenophobia in the context of the refugee situation would be discussed.

The Chair indicated that the Committee would look into the transformation programme in the Department and receive the WSSD report and the implementation plan.The Committee would invite the Red Cross and the Gift of the Giver NGOs to address it on their humanitarian activities in Iraq in addition to a briefing on the aid, which South Africa gave to other African countries.

The Chair invited members to comment on the tabulated programme for the year 2003. Please refer to Appendix.

Discussion
Mr. Zita (ANC) noted that South Africa was captivating strategic alliances with southern Africa and suggested that the Northern Hemisphere should be included as well. He also pointed out that the horn of Africa should be taken aboard noting that the fluid situation in Somalia should be addressed.

Ms Mahomed (ANC) suggested that the Committee should reflect on multilateral issues and in particular world peace, peace missions and their role as well as international terrorism.

Ms Hajaij (ANC) wanted the actual role of the Committee to be revisited especially as it interacted with the Department. She lamented that even after eight years service in the Committee she was yet to understand its role vis-à-vis the Department in particular in the light of what was happening with other Committees. She pointed out that the AU's success was paramount and suggested that a well-researched paper be submitted to the Committee on the progress made in actualising the AU's mandate.

Mr. Seremane (DP) concurred with Ms Hajaij that there was indeed a need to develop a more structured relationship with the Department. He called for a synchronisation of programmes to avoid the current situation where there was a contradiction between the activities carried out by the Department and what the Committee undertook.

South Korean Delegation
The Chair welcomed the South Korean delegation and explained the role of the Committee as constituted. He stated that the meeting was an ideal opportunity to exchange ideas on mutually political and economical matter pertaining to the state of development for the two countries. He thanked the team for the hospitality accorded to the Committee during its tour of the country and noted that the burning issue was the unification of the South and Northern Korea. The Committee also learned a lot on the vibrant SMME sector in South Korea. He introduced Committee members to the delegation and invited the delegates' representative to address the Committee.

The South Korean delegates expressed their appreciation for the hospitality accorded to them by the South African government and that they felt honoured to appear before the Committee. The delegates said that they attended the presidential address to the NCOP and were greatly impressed by Mr. Mbeki's leadership. They said that in 1995 the then president - Mandela paid a visit to their country and all Korean adored his charismatic leadership and hoped to have such a leader. They noted that in 1997 the current Korean President who was similar to Mr. Mandela ascended to power.

The delegates informed the Committee that the overwhelming majority of Koreans were for the unification since these two countries belonged to the same people. The two countries' presidents had been meeting to map out strategies for unification and that South Korea had learnt a great deal from the South African reconciliation process. They expressed deep appreciation to the South Africans who sacrificed their lives in the fight for the liberation of their country in the 1950 Korean liberation war. They concluded by inviting South Africa to the big international exhibitions that South Korea would be hosting in 2010 and particularly called for greater economic co-operation between the two countries.

Discussion
Mr. Gogotya (ANC) sought for some elaboration on the unification process.

The delegates expressed appreciation for the immense interest, which the international community had taken in the unification exercise. They explained that the methodology the two parties had adopted was to move away from armed conflict to reconciliation and mediation and that South Korea had ceased the policy of isolating the North Korea.

The delegates observed that there was a lot of progress captured during the Clinton administration but that this slackened with the ascendancy to power of President George Bush. They pointed out that the September 11 event dealt a big blow to these efforts in that the US attack of Afghanistan upset the North Koreans.

The delegates informed the Committee that South Korea had been supporting North Korea economically and that the unification process was a long-term goal explaining that the aim was to bring the North aboard the free world and that the North had been responding positively in this regard.

Ms Hajaij (ANC) thanked the delegates for the hospitality they accorded the Committee during its visit to their country. She noted that the Committee had a great deal to learn from the South Korean phenomenal industrial growth. The reconciliation exercise with the North was fundamental and wished the two countries well in this regard. She expressed concern at the strong America military presence in the country and wondered whether this aspect was not inimical to the peace process in the region.

The delegates noted that North Korea had indeed demanded as one of their pre-conditions for peace negotiation the withdrawal of the American forces from South Korea. They explained that South Korea was sandwiched between a volatile area and the presence of the American forces offered the much-needed balancing act for stability in the region.

Mr. Mukoena (ANC) asked exactly what the heart of the conflict was between the South and Northern Korea and the main stumbling block to peace.

The delegates explained that whilst South Korea was a democratic free market economy the North was a military dictatorship with a bad human rights abuse record. They explained that the genesis of the problem was the division of the otherwise one country into two - one the communist North and the free market economy to the South.

Ms Mahomed (ANC) asked what lessons South Korea had learnt from the German unification.

The delegates noted that one important lesson learnt from the German unification which they were pursuing with a relentless passion was to raise the economic standards of the North so as to clear and pave the way for a smooth transition to a unified Korea.

Ms Mahomed pointed out that South Africa was keen to learn from South Korean economy transformation and asked if delegates were keen to actualise this partnership.

The delegates explained that South Korea had a good working exchange program with South Africa and that both countries should learn from each other's experiences.

Ms Hajaij (ANC) sought to know how the delegates perceived multilateralism and its reform program.

The delegates replied that the multilateral process were very welcome and that South Korea maintained good relations with the UN and its specialised agencies but that the country had great concern with the security council resolutions and more so the implementation of these resolutions.

The meeting was adjourned.

Appendix 1

PROGRAMME - JULY 2002 - NOV 2002

Appendix 2
DRAFT PROGRAMME - FIRST TERM - 2003