President Chen Shui-bian on May 2 met with the president of South Korea's Kyungnam University, Dr. Park Jae Kyu, and his wife. He said he is delighted to have the opportunity to meet again with the president of the university that previously bestowed an honorary degree on him. President Chen expressed his welcome and gratitude to the couple.
President Chen said that Dr. Park will be delivering a lecture during this trip to Taiwan at the invitation of Chienkuo Technology University. He said it is Taiwan's pleasure to welcome Dr. Park and it is the honor of the faculty and students of Chienkuo Technology University to have Dr. Park speak on their campus. President Chen said that Kyungnam University last June provided a venue to hold the West Pacific Region meeting of the Democratic Pacific Union. Vice President Annette Lu was instrumental in initiating and founding the DPU. The president also expressed his admiration for Dr. Park's expertise in Northeast Asian affairs. He noted that Dr. Park in the past served as Unification Minister and has a deep understanding of topics related to the Korean Peninsula as well as Northeast Asia in general. He said he hopes that Dr. Park will continue to utilize his influence to make a contribution to strengthening substantive and friendly relations between South Korea and Taiwan.
President Chen said that in recent years the two countries have signed an agreement allowing citizens of each visa-free courtesies when traveling to the other. He also noted the resumption of flights by airlines of the two countries as well as Taiwan's establishment of a representative office in Pusan. He said these events signify the cooperative state of relations between the two countries. The president also pointed out that the number of visits by the people of both countries exceeded 600,000 last year. In 2006, people from Taiwan made over 400,000 visits to South Korea. Meanwhile, bilateral trade last year reached US$22.15 billion, with South Korea enjoying a trade surplus of US$7.85 billion. South Korea accounts for Taiwan's third largest trade deficit. In addition, South Korea is Taiwan's fourth largest trading partner and fourth largest source of imports, highlighting the close ties between the two. In the wake of South Korea signing a free trade agreement with the United States, the president said he hopes Taiwan will have an opportunity to iron out a free trade deal with Seoul, adding that he believes such an agreement would be in the mutual interest of both sides.
President Chen furthermore noted the frequent contacts between the two countries. As a result, he said, the basic human rights of the 23 million people of Taiwan to health should not be neglected or denied by the international community. He said he hopes Taiwan will be able to enter the World Health Organization as a formal member under the name "Taiwan," and expressed that he looks forward to having Taiwan receive support from the South Korean government in this regard. The president also said that starting in 2003 South Korea made changes to how Taiwan is noted on the resident certificates issued to overseas compatriots and Taiwan students studying in South Korea. Previously, the resident certificates indicated the origin of these people as being "Taiwan." However, in 2003, the South Korea government changed the moniker to "China (Taiwan)." He said he regrets this move, which belittles Taiwan, adding that he hopes Dr. Park will help in calling for his government to re-examine the issue and return to the use of "Taiwan" on the resident certificates.