What does it take to be "Global Korea"?

14 April 2011

British Ambassador Martin Uden delivered a speech to the EU Centre at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies on Thursday 14 April 2011

Speaker:	British Ambassador Martin Uden
Location:	The EU Centre at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies

Introduction

Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my great pleasure to be at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies today, speaking to you as Korea's future leaders in government, business and civil society.  

I want to talk today about "Global Korea", a phrase we increasingly read in the media and hear in government speeches.  It's a phrase that is often loosely defined and seems to mean different things to different people.  Does "being global" mean having a large economy?  Does it mean having military weight or being able to influence other countries' decisions?  Or is it cultural, where one's national dish is eaten in every capital city in the world?

I'm going to talk to you today about what being a global player means from a diplomat's perspective and explore the implications of this for Korea's foreign policy.  I look forward to hearing your views in the Q and A session at the end.

Global Korea

We are living in an unprecedented age of globalisation, spurred on by rapid technological advances.  Countries are now truly interdependent.  Globalisation has created shared threats and interests that necessitate deeper obligations between states and their citizens.  It requires a different type of international politics and a certain type of global leadership.  

Both Britain and Korea have received many benefits from globalisation.  Korea has seen rapid economic growth, fuelled by an export-oriented economic strategy.  The UK has seen globalisation drive structural economic changes that will support our future economic prospects.  Foreign capital has tackled the lack of long term investment from weak savings. Foreign talent has filled gaps in skills and management expertise.  

But to share in the benefits of globalisation, countries also need to share the cost and responsibility of maintaining those benefits.  This requires a concept of national interest that includes responsibility for safeguarding the health of the international system.  The international public goods that maintain the benefits of globalisation - economic growth, regional stability, international peace and security, environmental health - need to be protected by the international community together.  Global players will take the lead in these efforts.  

So with this in mind, I would argue that a global player (and a Global Korea) needs to include the following three objectives within its foreign policy aims:

1. Firstly, the safeguarding of global security.  

·        In an interdependent world, our national prosperity requires stability and security.  This includes traditional security threats, such as conflict, terrorism and proliferation.  Our security and stability are threatened by health and environmental problems, which do not respect national borders.  A global player contributes to tackling and minimising these threats within an international framework.  

2. Secondly, as the recent financial crisis has shown, countries must take an international outlook to economic growth and stability, advancing prosperity across borders.

·        Economic growth in other countries matters to the rest of us more than ever before.  Instability is contagious.  Countries must advance an international prosperity agenda that supports free trade and contributes towards the economic development of other countries.

3. Finally, a global player needs to uphold and support the international values of human rights, tolerance and the rule of law.

·        In its treatment of its own citizens and in its engagement around the world, sovereign states have responsibilities that are enshrined by a set of universal values as set out in the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

·        When human rights abuses go unchecked, our security and prosperity suffer as well.  The uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa demonstrate the huge consequences of suppressing people's basic and fundamental rights.

·        In Britain, we put support for human rights at the centre of our foreign policy.  We believe this support is in our own long-term economic interest.  Countries prepared to abuse their own people are unlikely to be stable and reliable economic partners.  We also need to be accountable to our own population: British citizens now ask hard questions about countries we are trading with. They want to know about health and labour standards, ethics and foreign policy positions.

Security

I'm now going to take each of these three responsibilities and explore what this means in practice for British and Korean foreign policy.  

Security on the Korean peninsula

Firstly, the responsibility to maintain global peace and security.  Korea has a unique perspective here.  60 years ago, in the face of aggression from the DPRK, the international community under the flag of the United Nations, intervened to protect the Republic of Korea's sovereignty.  Britain was the second largest contributor to this international effort to repel the invasion, providing 58,000 troops.

Next week, 100 British veterans of the Korean War and their families will return to the Republic of Korea.  These revisits are always personal highlights of the year for me.  It's very moving to talk with veterans reflecting on the sacrifices made 60 years ago, who are returning to see a country that has made massive political and economic progress.  As a result of the UN intervention in 1950, the Republic of Korea is now a global economic power with a population that enjoys democratic freedoms and benefits from the rule of law.

Members of the international community, including Britain, have an ongoing role in maintaining security on the Korean peninsula.  Britain is a member of the UN Command Military Armistice Commission, monitoring the armistice agreement on the peninsula.  

Britain is also a strong supporter of the Republic of Korea in the face of continuing aggression from the DPRK: last year, we strongly condemned the sinking of the Cheonan and sent naval and forensic experts from the British government to the international team investigating the sinking.  

Maintaining security outside the Korean peninsula

Despite these difficulties closer to home, the Republic of Korea is becoming an increasingly active player in tackling traditional security threats outside the Korean peninsula.  Britain and Korea have made contributions to the promotion of global peace and stability by carrying out operations in parts of the world such as East Timor, Iraq and Somalia.  

As President Lee said last month, "Korean armed forces have taken a leap forward in defending world peace."  Britain welcomes Korea's deployment of troops and reconstruction experts to Parwan Province in Afghanistan, which is important to the efforts to bring stability there, and welcomes Korea's wider contribution to UN peacekeeping operations globally.  

UN peacekeeping

This map shows where British and Korean troops have been deployed in the UN's name since official UN peacekeeping deployments began.  

UN peacekeeping continues to evolve, both conceptually and operationally, to meet new challenges and political realities.  Faced with the rising demand for increasingly complex peace operations, the United Nations in the past few years has been overstretched and challenged as never before.  The organisation has worked vigorously to strengthen its capacity to manage and sustain field operations and, thus, contribute to the most important function of the United Nations - maintaining international peace and security.  

There are many examples of where international peacekeeping efforts have made a real difference to securing peace and stability and to improving the lives of people affected by conflict.  It is important that Korea and the UK continue to use their economic and political influence to support the UN in this goal.  

Britain and Korea have a strong shared history and share important priorities today.  That reinforces our duty of responsible sovereignty, including the need to enhance peace and security within the international community.  We have a collective responsibility to protect populations from crimes against humanity.  

Nuclear proliferation

As well as maintaining security and stability in a traditional sense through military interventions and peacekeeping, global players also need to tackle the serious risk of nuclear proliferation.  It is crucial that global players uphold and enforce the international nonproliferation regime.  

The UN Security Council has formally recognised the threat to nonproliferation posed by Iran through its decision last year to impose further sanctions on the country.  It has been challenging for Korea to respond to these sanctions as Iran is a large supplier of oil imports and an export market for Korean goods.  

But the risks to Korea's energy security will be far greater if Iran were to develop nuclear weapons.  A nuclear-armed Iran could induce Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and others to reconsider their decisions not to develop nuclear weapons.  If they did so, the breakdown in the nonproliferation regime would hasten.  Tensions would rise in the Persian Gulf, putting at risk the global energy market.

It is very important for Korea to play a strong role in implementing the sanctions regime against Iran and other proliferating states of concern.  If we fail to work in concert now, together we will face severe consequences later.  

Climate change

Global players must also work together to tackle the shared threat of climate change.  Continued global warming is likely to lead to more intense heat waves, droughts and severe storms in many regions.  The social, environmental and economic costs of climate change would be huge.  

And climate change is not just a threat in itself - it acts as a multiplier on existing stresses over scarce natural resources.  Global food prices are rising and this could accelerate as climate change affects harvests around the world.  Water scarcity will intensify with any rise in temperatures and change in weather patterns resulting from climate changes.  The UN estimates that almost half of the world's population will be living in areas of high water stress by 2030.  Rising oil and gas prices would be a major constraint on stable growth.

In Europe, we recognised the threat of climate change at an early stage and took bold actions to start the transition towards a low carbon economy.  The EU has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020 and by 80% by 2050.  In the UK, we have made our low carbon targets legally binding.  London has become the financial centre for the emerging global carbon market.

I know President Lee also recognises the scale and urgency of the problem and I welcome the actions Korea is taking to accelerate the transition to an energy efficient, low-carbon, high growth global economy.

The world needs clear leadership in climate change - an area where Korea could well play an important role.  Korea has a real chance to become a global leader.  Countries look to Korea as a model for economic growth.  If Korea can show that it's possible to grow and be green at the same time then there is a real opportunity to change the way that people think about economic growth.

President Lee is clear that the drivers of future economic growth will be green:  low carbon technology, new and renewable energy, energy efficient products.  You are about to implement some of the hard policies to make the transition to this new green model of growth, notably an Emissions Trading Scheme.

I am pleased that the UK has been associated with many of the policy developments taking place, and very proud of the strong partnership that my Embassy has built with the Korean government on climate change.

The Cancun Agreement showed that the international community is serious about tackling climate change.  But we will achieve a legally binding global deal only when countries have confidence in the low carbon economy.  That makes Korea's role so important.  Your green growth policies can be a model for the world.

The world needs Korea to be active internationally, showing the leadership you did at the G20, explaining, exporting, and accelerating green growth.

From my time here in the 1970s I recall the Saemaul Movement.  You took this model to other countries, telling the Saemaul Movement story and encouraging leaders to develop their own programmes.

I believe that Korea can use this kind of approach with Low Carbon, Green Growth.  You can use the energetic diplomacy we saw at the G20 to tell the green growth story - persuading, building confidence, and encouraging leaders to develop their own green model of growth.  

Of course, the Saemaul Movement developed over decades.  We do not have that time.  Climate change will not wait.  The world needs Korean leadership on green growth now.

Prosperity

The second responsibility for global players is to advance prosperity across national borders rather than focus on narrow national economic interests.  The Great Depression of the 1930s and the more recent financial crisis showed us that economic instability in one country has knock-on effects globally.

It is an open global economy that has driven economic growth and the rise in living standards across the world.  A responsible global player is one that works with other countries to keep the forces of protectionism at bay and to dismantle barriers to trade.  

The UK continues to argue strongly for open trade and investment.  And Korea shares our philosophy that open markets are central to driving global economic growth and poverty reduction.  

We are both advocates of an early conclusion to the Doha Development Agenda in 2011.  This would deliver a boost of ?110bn per year to the global economy, give the poorest people in the world a share of the benefits of globalisation, and provide the global economy with a powerful engine for growth.  It is important that Korea continues to be a voice in Asia advocating free trade.  

I am delighted to be speaking to you at a time when the EU and Korea have much to celebrate in terms of our commitment to liberalising trade.  Britain strongly supports swift application of the EU/Korea Free Trade Agreement, which will give a major boost to our bilateral trading relationship.  It is important for both sides that the FTA is ratified and ready to come into force on 1 July this year.

This is the most ambitious trade agreement ever negotiated by the EU and the second largest ever negotiated in the world, removing virtually all tariff and non-tariff barriers.  We expect it will be worth up to 19 billion Euros to European business and 13 billion Euros to Korean business.  It sends a powerful message to the rest of the international community that the EU and Korea are defenders of free trade and open markets.

Development

As well as supporting international trade and open markets, Korea can also play a role to advance global prosperity through its overseas investments and overseas development assistance.

Korean investment in developing countries can propel those countries to the next stage of development and growth.  To make this sustainable, the investment needs to promote better governance, less corruption and improved accountability.  Many developing countries have made their commitments to improve transparency and governance.  Their larger trade and investment partners, including Korea, must use their engagement to support these goals.

Korea can also play a powerful role as a provider of overseas development assistance.  No one can fail to be impressed by Korea's rapid economic rise over the last 60 years from a low income country after the Korean War to the 15th largest economy in the world.  

Since I first arrived in Korea in 1978, I have seen with my own eyes the remarkable growth that has transformed this country.  And your chairmanship of the G20 showcased this economic success story to the world.  

By sharing this experience and using your rising economic wealth to support comprehensive, tailored overseas development programmes, Korea can contribute to lifting developing countries out of poverty.  This in turn can contribute to a more peaceful and prosperous global society, through the boosting of international trade and political stability.

Britain welcomes Korea's admission to the OECD Development Assistance Committee, the forum where major donor countries discuss aid effectiveness.  

It is meaningful that Korea has now ascended to the status of a major donor of overseas development aid.  Because of this experience, Korea will know how important it is for donors to focus on aid effectiveness.  Effective aid is country-owned, results focused and not tied to commercial or political interests.  The UK looks forward to taking this discussion forward in the High-Level Aid Effectiveness Forum in Busan later this year.  

The eradication of poverty is a vital international objective for the British government - by 2013, the equivalent of 0.7% of the UK's gross national income will be dedicated to development assistance, increasing from 0.36% in 2007/08.  

Our development programmes are resolutely focused on the reduction of poverty in the poorest countries.  And we stick firmly to the principle that aid must not be tied.  

International Values

Human rights in foreign policy

As a country that has transformed from authoritarianism to a stable democracy and from developing to developed country in just a few decades, Korea will recognise more than most the vital place of human rights and democracy in foreign policy.

Because of this history, Britain believes that Korea can play a unique role in supporting human rights in its foreign policy.  

Human rights are now a basic value in our system of international law.  It is also clear in our experience that individual rights are a vital component of a stable and sustainable political and economic system.  Where human rights abuses are left unchecked, regional and global security often suffers.

Britain believes in strengthening the international frameworks and institutions that support human rights, such as the International Criminal Court and tribunals such as that for the Former Yugoslavia.  Global players need to make the argument to others that their interests as well as our own depend on a rules-based international system.

We recognise that countries develop at different paces.  Democracy rests on foundations that have to be built over time: strong institutions, responsible and accountable government, a free press, the rule of law and equal rights for men and women.  Elections alone do not create a free and democratic society.  

But this does not mean that we should sit on our hands or simply resign ourselves to the idea that change in certain countries will not happen for decades.  We must work with other countries to build international coalitions that speak out against human rights abuses, using our own conduct to set an example.  

The European Union raises concerns about human rights wherever and whenever those concerns arises, including with those countries with whom we are seeking closer ties.  The EU's enlargement to the south and east has done much to strengthen democracy and the rule of law across Europe.  The enlargement process continues to act as a powerful catalyst for progress in these areas.  

Using its economic weight and rising global influence, Korea has the ability to apply pressure on regimes which commit serious human rights abuses, in places such as Libya and Burma, as well as the DPRK.

Conclusion

I have argued today that if you have a big stake in the international system, you need to step up and protect that system.  Economic growth in other countries matters to the rest of us more than ever before. Instability is contagious.  Health and environmental problems do not respect national borders.

So a global Korea with a large economic stake in the international system has a responsibility to uphold global security, prosperity and values.  President Lee has been clear about this responsibility in his own speeches and vision for Korea's international relations.  Britain warmly supports this vision.  

A Korea that steps up to maintain global peace and security, advances prosperity across borders, and upholds the international values of human rights, and the rule of law, is a truly global player.

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