Pres. Park seeks African support against North Korea

Pres. Park seeks African support against North Korea. May. 28, 2016 07:43. by 아디스아바바=장택동 기자will71@donga.com.

Pres. Park, "Let us open African Renaissance with Africa's labor and Korea's capital combined"

President Park Geun-hye emphasized "coexisting partner" relations in her speech on Friday (local time) in the African Union headquarters. This remark means that Korea does not consider Africa a recipient anymore, but rather an economic and security partner.

President Park made a speech at the Nelson Mandela Hall in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, and mentioned the turbulent histories of Korea and Africa under colonization and war. "I can feel the importance of your hope and desire for growth," she noted. Among the 1,300 in the audience were African Union Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-zuma and Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe.

"Korea would like to share with you what we have learned from trials and errors regarding development," Park said. "We will provide a training opportunity to 6,000 brilliant minds from Africa for five years and send four thousand Korean volunteers here."

Park also proposed to build an technology innovation center to share Korea's information communications technology and scientific technology and to support African girls as well. She stressed that what Korea wants to share with Africa is confidence and challenging spirit, by comparing Korea's "Saemaeul Movement" and Africa's '"Ubuntu." 'Ubuntu' means love toward people based on community spirit in South Africa's Zulu, which puts community before individuals.

Park also underlined the importance of partnership in economy, security and North Korea's nuclear issues.

Particularly about the nuclear issues, Park stated, "We are grateful that many African countries have participated in the international movement to condemn North Korea's provocations and put sanctions on the country. Please, cooperate with us until North Korea gives up its nuclear weapons."

"If Africa's abundant labor pool and natural resources meet with Korea's technology and capital, we will have a huge synergy," President Park also noted on the economy. "We can open an African Renaissance." What this means is that she would push forward Korean companies' expansion in Africa. In 2018, when the African Development Bank will hold its annual general meeting in Korea, the government will hold a Korea-Africa ministerial conference on economic cooperation as well as build a Korea-AU policy discussion body.