President Chen welcomed a delegation from the Federation of Korean Industries attending the 30th Joint Conference of ROC-Korea and Korea-Taiwan Business Councils and expressed his congratulations to the members for their successful achievements at this conference.
The president praised the visitors for attending the conference despite Typhoon Talim's strong winds and rain. Already in its 30th year, the president said that the Joint Conference of ROC-Korea and Korea-Taiwan Business Councils convened more than twenty times between 1979 and 2002. Although it was temporarily suspended due to Korea severing diplomatic relations with Taiwan, the conference was launched again in 2000. The visiting delegation was led by chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries Kang Shin-Ho, signifying the importance of this meeting to the Koreans. President Chen expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the delegation, stressing Taiwan and Korea's economic cooperation and trade as an issue of great significance.
Within the past few years, Taiwan and Korea's bilateral economic exchanges have become increasingly frequent and intense. According to the president, just in the past year alone trade between the two countries have totaled US$16.9 billion, with Korea enjoying a US$6.3 billion trade surplus and becoming Taiwan's second largest deficit country and fifth largest trade partner. Aside from Taiwan and Korea's prosperous economic relationship, the two countries have granted each other visa-free privileges and reestablished direct passenger flights, while Taiwan has reinstalled a Taiwanese representative office in Busan, Korea. The president is optimistic that the success of the Joint Conference of ROC-Korea and Korea-Taiwan Business Councils will encourage bilateral ministerial meetings and, ultimately, to the signing of a future free trade agreement.
In regards to the November Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation's unofficial leaders' summit in Busan, President Chen reiterated his gratitude to President Roo Moo-hyun for sending him an invitation last month. However, the Taiwanese president, although extremely interested in personally participating, remains skeptical of his chance to attend the summit in person. Taiwan is nonetheless thankful for Korea's assistance in helping the island, as well as China and Hong Kong, gain membership into APEC in 1991. President Chen anticipates Korea similarly will exhaust all avenues of diplomacy to aid the Taiwanese president in his hopes of attending the unofficial leaders' summit.
Finally, noting the tremendous historical achievement it would be, President Chen expressed his optimism in having both Korean President Roo Moo-hyun and North Korean President Kim Jong-il attend the APEC conference.
The delegation thanked President Chen for welcoming them and wished the people of Taiwan a swift recovery from the damages and injuries that Typhoon Talim caused. The Korean delegation also promised to discuss issues that were mentioned during the conference once they return to their country.