TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — South Korea and Taiwan should enhance their partnership, South Korea envoy to Taiwan Lee Eun-ho said at a National Foundation Day celebration on Monday (Sept. 25) night.
“I firmly believe that the time has come for Korea and Taiwan to bolster our mutual support in such new areas like climate change, supply chain resilience, and cybersecurity,” Lee said. Already, the two countries are working in sectors like AI chips, he said. Taiwan produces chips that use memory parts from Korean firms.
The representative said bilateral trade has boomed in the past year. Trade volume reached US$54 billion (1.73 trillion), making Taiwan the fifth largest destination for South Korean exports, he said.
In tourism, 430,000 South Koreans visited Taiwan between January 2023 and Aug. 3, while more than 505,000 Taiwanese visited South Korea between January and July, Lee said. Cultural exchanges are also “thriving,” with many Taiwanese keeping up to date about the latest Korean songs and dramas, he said.
The representative said Taiwan’s security situation has been a growing concern. For over 70 years, both countries have navigated similar security challenges, he said.
As a result, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeo has emphasized the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait as a key aspect of regional security and prosperity, he said.
Despite the challenges, what makes Taiwan and South Korea stand out is their “joint achievement of democracy alongside economic prosperity,” Lee said. The two countries are “shining examples” of progress and cooperation, he said.
“In these challenging times, I believe it falls upon us to inspire others,” Lee added.
