President YOU meets Representative Lee Eun-ho of Korean Mission in Taipei
President YOU first extended a warm welcome to Representative Lee and congratulated him on assuming his new position. He was also impressed by Representative Lee’s comprehensive experiences in both public and private sectors, and looked forward to the enhancement of bilateral relations between Taiwan and South Korea during his tenure.
President YOU stated that Taiwan and South Korea shared the same anti-communist stance and considered each other as like-minded countries decades ago. Nevertheless, the development paths of Taiwan and South Korea gradually diverged after the United States established diplomatic relations with China. As an old saying goes: "Brothers climb mountains together, but by their own efforts." Today, with the changing dynamics in East Asia and the international society, the fraternal relationship between Taiwan and South Korea has entered its third phase. For instance, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol expressed that the Taiwan issue is not just a matter between China and Taiwan but a global concern. He also opposed any use of force to alter the status quo of the Taiwan Strait. It is believed that future cooperation between Taiwan and South Korea will be further strengthened in various fields.
President YOU concluded by pointing out several significant changes in the current international situation. However, President YOU believed that with Representative Lee's rich and comprehensive work experiences, he can contribute a lot to future cooperation in trade and security between Taiwan and South Korea. President YOU once again congratulated Representative Lee’s appointment to Taiwan.
Representative Lee expressed gratitude for the warm reception. Despite having previously met with President YOU with a Korean parliamentary delegation, he felt honored to pay an official visit to President YOU. Representative Lee mentioned that he called on the mayors of Tainan and Kaohsiung City last week. He was particularly impressed by both mayors' dedication to the further enhancement of Taiwan-South Korea cooperation. Representative Lee also noted a significant increase in the number of travelers between South Korea and Taiwan in the post-pandemic era. Many Korean counties and cities participated in Taiwan Tourism Expo held last week, during which Representative Lee was so touched to see the presence of President Tsai Ing-Wen at Korean booths.
While touching upon the issue of semiconductor industries development in South Korea and Taiwan, Representative Lee stated that he attended COMPUTEX 2023 earlier today listening to a speech by NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang. There were over 4,000 participants, mostly young engineers. To his surprise, the audience demonstrated a strong grasp of the speech that is not easy to comprehend by ordinary people. Representative Lee acknowledged the significant changes in the international arena compared to the post WWII mentioned by President YOU, and emphasized the economic and democratic paradigms South Korea and Taiwan have established over the past six to seven decades. Based on this solid foundation, both countries should joint efforts to enhance collaboration and pursue mutual growth.
Representative Lee further stated that South Korea and Taiwan have been enjoying close economic and trade ties, with the two-way trade exceeding $54.4 billion USD last year. South Korea’s exports to Taiwan amounted to $26 billion USD, while Taiwan's exports to South Korea were $28 billion USD. The two countries rank as each other's fifth-largest trading partners. More importantly, there is minimal overlap in trade items between both sides, indicating a great potential for expansion in future economic and trade cooperation. Representative Lee expressed his commitment to promoting bilateral exchanges between South Korea and Taiwan during his term and sincerely hoped to have President YOU's assistance and support.
Both sides also exchanged views on issues that concern Taiwan and South Korea, including national security, economic and trade relations, tourism, and the state of play of regional and international situation. The 30-minute meeting ended with gift exchanges and the taking of group photos in an amicable vibe.
YOU Si-kun: Taiwan and South Korea should join efforts to deepen bilateral exchanges and cooperation
President YOU first extended a warm welcome to Representative Lee and congratulated him on assuming his new position. He was also impressed by Representative Lee’s comprehensive experiences in both public and private sectors, and looked forward to the enhancement of bilateral relations between Taiwan and South Korea during his tenure.
President YOU stated that Taiwan and South Korea shared the same anti-communist stance and considered each other as like-minded countries decades ago. Nevertheless, the development paths of Taiwan and South Korea gradually diverged after the United States established diplomatic relations with China. As an old saying goes: "Brothers climb mountains together, but by their own efforts." Today, with the changing dynamics in East Asia and the international society, the fraternal relationship between Taiwan and South Korea has entered its third phase. For instance, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol expressed that the Taiwan issue is not just a matter between China and Taiwan but a global concern. He also opposed any use of force to alter the status quo of the Taiwan Strait. It is believed that future cooperation between Taiwan and South Korea will be further strengthened in various fields.
President YOU concluded by pointing out several significant changes in the current international situation. However, President YOU believed that with Representative Lee's rich and comprehensive work experiences, he can contribute a lot to future cooperation in trade and security between Taiwan and South Korea. President YOU once again congratulated Representative Lee’s appointment to Taiwan.
Representative Lee expressed gratitude for the warm reception. Despite having previously met with President YOU with a Korean parliamentary delegation, he felt honored to pay an official visit to President YOU. Representative Lee mentioned that he called on the mayors of Tainan and Kaohsiung City last week. He was particularly impressed by both mayors' dedication to the further enhancement of Taiwan-South Korea cooperation. Representative Lee also noted a significant increase in the number of travelers between South Korea and Taiwan in the post-pandemic era. Many Korean counties and cities participated in Taiwan Tourism Expo held last week, during which Representative Lee was so touched to see the presence of President Tsai Ing-Wen at Korean booths.
While touching upon the issue of semiconductor industries development in South Korea and Taiwan, Representative Lee stated that he attended COMPUTEX 2023 earlier today listening to a speech by NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang. There were over 4,000 participants, mostly young engineers. To his surprise, the audience demonstrated a strong grasp of the speech that is not easy to comprehend by ordinary people. Representative Lee acknowledged the significant changes in the international arena compared to the post WWII mentioned by President YOU, and emphasized the economic and democratic paradigms South Korea and Taiwan have established over the past six to seven decades. Based on this solid foundation, both countries should joint efforts to enhance collaboration and pursue mutual growth.
Representative Lee further stated that South Korea and Taiwan have been enjoying close economic and trade ties, with the two-way trade exceeding $54.4 billion USD last year. South Korea’s exports to Taiwan amounted to $26 billion USD, while Taiwan's exports to South Korea were $28 billion USD. The two countries rank as each other's fifth-largest trading partners. More importantly, there is minimal overlap in trade items between both sides, indicating a great potential for expansion in future economic and trade cooperation. Representative Lee expressed his commitment to promoting bilateral exchanges between South Korea and Taiwan during his term and sincerely hoped to have President YOU's assistance and support.
Both sides also exchanged views on issues that concern Taiwan and South Korea, including national security, economic and trade relations, tourism, and the state of play of regional and international situation. The 30-minute meeting ended with gift exchanges and the taking of group photos in an amicable vibe.