JEJU WEEKLY

  • Updated 2017.9.13 16:48
  • All Articles
  • member icon
  • facebook cursor
  • twitter cursor
NewsBusiness news
¡°There is no unilateral victory in free trade¡±Ambassador Kim Hae-yong defends the benefits of free trade as China FTA looms
ÆùƮŰ¿ì±â ÆùÆ®ÁÙÀ̱â ÇÁ¸°Æ®Çϱ⠸ÞÀϺ¸³»±â ½Å°íÇϱâ
½ÂÀÎ 2014.01.24  14:38:47
ÆäÀ̽ººÏ Æ®À§ÅÍ
¡ã Farmhands spread sliced radish to dry in the sun to make kimchi. Farmers are concerned the radish may be undercut by Chinese imports. Photo courtesy Seogwipo City Hall

It is often used to symbolize the benefits of free trade, the famous satellite image of the Korean peninsula at night, with darkness and hermitism to the north and invigorating light and connectivity to the south. The wired analogy - while oversimplified - even lends itself to Seoul’s increasingly interconnected relations with its trading partners and neighbors.

The engagement is present provincially too, as the nation is integrated into the world economy at all levels. In fact, for the last decade the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent all provincial governments an Ambassador for International Relations to offer expertise in matters of foreign affairs.

Jeju’s Ambassador is Kim Hae-yong, former Korean Ambassador to Myanmar. Assuming the position vacated by Yu Ji-eun in November, Kim’s resume boasts service as First Secretary in Brussels and Minister Counselor in Geneva. He thus exudes the states-manlike authority and attentive ear expected of a diplomat and is impressed with Jeju’s international efforts.

“When I came down in November I found the Jeju government’s efforts quite impressive ... Jeju people are getting more and more exposed to foreign relations and international matters. So, given that, the Ambassador for International Relations is quite unique and requires more involvement.”

It wasn’t always thus. In an earlier wave of 19th-century globalization, Korea was famously styled a Hermit Kingdom as it fought off the pretensions of gunboat diplomacy. Entrenched, the Joseon dynasty’s barricades saw the benefits of trade pass them by. Many, including former President Park Chung-hee (1963-1979), blamed Joseon insularity for the eventual humiliation of Japanese colonization and civil war, and vowed never to repeat those (perceived) isolationist mistakes.

Korea has never looked back. Despite stiff resistance at every level to novel trade liberalization measures, most recently seen in opposition to the KORUS FTA (2012) and the current Korea-China FTA, Korean markets have opened and tariffs, slowly, disappeared. For Kim, this is simple common sense: “We cannot fall behind global trends and [expect to] survive.”

¡ã Ambassador for International Relations Kim Hae-yong

Kim’s commitment to cross-border trade is rooted in experience. As Korea’s Director General for FTA negotiations, he finalized deals with the United States and Europe: “I was quite satisfied I concluded negotiations with those big guys,” he jokes. While Ambassador to Myanmar, Kim also met democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi as she sought to open the country to trade and international norms.

Kim states that although protectionism in the 60s and 70s, ironically under Park Chung-hee, brought Korea benefits, those days are long gone: “Korea was an exceptional case and now we cannot do that. As long as we have the benefits of free trade from others, we have to give back. There is no unilateral victory in free trade.”

Kim steps in at an important juncture. A looming FTA with China has left farmers and fishers worried that cheaper imports will damage local competitiveness.

Due to such fears, Governor Woo Keun-min vowed to protect Jeju products, including mandarin and daikon, as FTA negotiations with China began on Jan. 6. Despite the vow, trade experts expect such an exception to be hard to implement, yet Kim under-stands local concerns.

“Much of Jeju’s growth is from primary industry so it is natural ... One lesson from [the KORUS FTA negotiations] was that central government must communicate with all segments of society in order to alleviate their concerns and worries at the initial stage,” he said.

Kim’s work does not end with the Chinese FTA, as he also deals with foreign investment, maritime disputes and concerns about island development. He notes that Jeju’s opening has been rapid and to offset confusion we must be frank about liberalization bringing both winners and losers.

“Of course the negotiations can bring tangible benefits to the nation as a whole, but when it comes to individual sectors, maybe some are suffering from the results ... [The central government] must find a solution to alleviate their concerns. Not only in the negotiating process, but also through government expenditure.”

Part of Kim’s role is to represent Jeju’s interests in these negotiations. He often speaks of the need to offset misunderstandings around FTAs, to listen closely and to ensure there are effective measures to address community concerns, lessons learned from experience.

“We should give comfort to disadvantaged groups,” he says. “Tariffs are protective screens against foreign competition, but once we remove the tariff ... we know that farmers and fishers are uncompetitive when com-pared to US, UK and even China.” Kim says that many measures are available to sup-port industries such as government expenditure, or by delaying the speed of liberalization.

Kim is confident the FTA will be fruitful for Jeju, but he also urges caution as agriculture and fisheries account for 18 percent of local GDP, compared to just 3 percent nationally. It is the role of government, he says, to find “creative ideas to alleviate concerns which the Jeju people have.”

“As you say, Korea does not have enough resources and we are heavily dependent on international trade and certain manufacturing sectors, including automobiles, steel, semi-conductors ... so we must respond to global trends of free trade appropriately.”

It is the role of government, says Kim, to then distribute the benefits of this trade to all groups in society, including farmers and fishers.

“We are actively meeting with farmers cooperatives and we know about their concerns. The FTAs with the United States and European Union have been the highest level of liberalization pact. When it comes to the FTA with China, we will see. We know that China’s primary industries are so competitive that we cannot give the same degree of liberalization.”

In conclusion, the Ambassador states:

“In everything, balance should be maintained.”

[Related Stories]

Darren SouthcottÀÇ ´Ù¸¥±â»ç º¸±â  
¨Ï Jeju Weekly 2009 (http://www.jejuweekly.com)
All materials on this site are protected under the Korean Copyright Law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published without the prior consent of Jeju Weekly.
ÆùƮŰ¿ì±â ÆùÆ®ÁÙÀ̱â ÇÁ¸°Æ®Çϱ⠸ÞÀϺ¸³»±â ½Å°íÇϱâ
ÆäÀ̽ººÏ Æ®À§ÅÍ
Jeju Travel
Jeju-Asia's No.1 for Cruise

Jeju Weekly

Mail to editor@jejuweekly.com  |  Phone: +82-64-724-7776 Fax: +82-64-724-7796
#505 jeju Venture Maru Bldg,217 Jungangro(Ido-2 dong), Jeju-si, Korea, 690-827
Registration Number: Jeju Da 01093  |  Date of Registration: November 20, 2008  |  Publisher: Hee Tak Ko  | Youth policy: Hee Tak Ko
Copyright ¨Ï 2009 All materials on this site are protected under the Korean Copyright Law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published
without the prior consent of jeju weekly.com.

ND¼ÒÇÁÆ®