President Chen Shui-bian on October 10 met with South Korea Grand National Party Central Committee Chairman Lee Kang-Too and Vice Chairman Baik Yong-Ki of the Seoul Taipei Club at the Presidential Office. The president expressed a warm welcome and gratitude to the visitors for making a special visit to Taiwan to participate in the 2007 Double Ten National Day festivities and to celebrate the nation's birthday with the 23 million people of Taiwan.
During the meeting, the president expressed his interest in the presidential election that will be held in South Korea in the middle of December. He noted that the candidate from the Grand National Party, former Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-Bak, enjoys support exceeding 53% in public surveys. As a result, Lee has the best chance of becoming South Korea's next president.
President Chen furthermore said that if the candidate from the Grand National Party wins the election, Taiwan will look forward to sending an emissary to attend the inauguration. He said the Taiwan government and the Democratic Progressive Party have long maintained close ties with the Grand National Party. In addition, Taiwan and former Seoul Mayor Lee have a record of cooperative relations. The president said he hopes the visitors, after returning to South Korea, will assist in making arrangements so that a delegation can join in the inauguration celebrations.
The president also told the visitors that Taiwan will hold parliamentary elections in January of next year, followed by a presidential election in March. He also said that he will be leaving on the evening of October 11 to go to the Marshall Islands to attend the Second Taiwan-Pacific Allies Summit, which is aimed at further strengthening mutual cooperation and friendship between Taiwan and its Pacific nation allies.
The president asked the visitors to forward his best wishes to presidential candidate Lee and express that he hopes Mr. Lee emerges victorious in the upcoming election. The president also said he expects that substantive friendly ties and cooperative relations will increase should Mr. Lee and the Grand National Party win the election. President Chen also thanked all the members of the Seoul Taipei Club for their long-term friendly stance toward and support for Taiwan, along with their efforts and contributions in promoting friendship between the two countries. He asked that Club Vice Chairman Baik Yong-Ki express appreciation and good wishes on behalf of him to the chairman of the club and all club members.
The visitors expressed their gratitude to President Chen for taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with them. They also forwarded Lee Myung-Bak's best wishes to President Chen and the 23 million people of Taiwan. They said they were very impressed with the military parade held in front of the Presidential Building in the morning, and that they sensed the power of the Taiwan government. The visitors also expressed their hopes that the Second Taiwan-Pacific Allies Summit will be a success. They reaffirmed their resolute support for the bilateral relationship between Taiwan and South Korea, adding that they hope to further strengthen economic and cultural exchanges in the future to jointly create greater wellbeing for the people of the two countries.