President Han Meets with Representative Lee Eun-Ho of Korean Mission in Taipei
President Daniel K.Y. Han: Looking Forward to Furthering Bilateral Exchanges in Economy, Trade, Sports and Tourism between Taiwan and Korea.
President Daniel K. Y. Han, accompanied by Legislator Lin Te-Fu, Secretary-General Chester Chou, and International Affairs Department Director Kevin C.F. Lin, met with Representative Lee Eun-Ho of the Korean Mission in Taipei on the morning of March 6.
President Han first warmly welcomed the visitors and took a photo together with Legislator Lin and Representative Lee, followed by a closed-door discussion. President Han mentioned that in Mandarin, his name contains the same characters as those representing the Republic of Korea (hereafter referred to as South Korea), which might indicate his personal bond with South Korea. He recalled getting acquainted with many Korean friends when he was a student, and each of them appeared to be kind-hearted and enthusiastic. While welcoming Representative Lee to the Legislative Yuan, President Han stressed that it is always a pleasure to greet a friend from afar. Taiwan is South Korea's sixth-largest trading partner and South Korea is Taiwan's fourth-largest trading partner, particularly with rapid growing in bilateral tourism. Before the pandemic (2017-2019), the annual number of visitors between Taiwan and South Korea exceeded one million people, and the number of South Korean tourists to Taiwan reached over 640,000 last year. President Han expressed his hope for furthering bilateral exchanges in fields like the economy, trade, and sports. He thus expected Legislator Lin, chairman of the "ROC–South Korea Parliamentary Friendship Association,” to help deepen bilateral ties. In the meantime, he also asked Representative Lee to convey the Legislative Yuan's expectations for more inter-parliamentary interaction to the Korean National Assembly.
Representative Lee first thanked President Han for taking time out of busy schedule to meet him and extended congratulations to President Han on assuming the new role as President of the Legislative Yuan. He is confident that under President Han's leadership, Taiwan’s new parliament would undergo a smooth transformation. Representative Lee amusingly referred to President Han’s name containing the word 'Korea', which is widely recognized. He continued by stating that Taiwan and Korea are important trade partners for each other, with the number of bilateral visitors steadily increasing. Representative Lee was surprised to find that despite Thailand's popularity as a tourist destination for Koreans, there are significantly more flights from Korea to Taiwan than to Thailand, according to recent statistics. In January of this year, the number of flights exceeded 2,000, highlighting the frequency of tourism and business exchanges between the two countries. He believes that important Korean figures will continue to visit Taiwan in the future.
Representative Lee also emphasized the significance of “the Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income” between Taiwan and South Korea, which officially came into effect on December 27 last year. He expressed special gratitude to the legislators for their dedication, as passing new legislation often requires considerable time and effort. Particularly, with the invaluable support of Legislator Lin in recent years, the above-mentioned bill received bipartisan support in Korean National Assembly, facilitating its smooth passage. He is convinced this agreement would not only benefit corporate taxation but also enhance bilateral business exchanges. Additionally, with South Korea set to hold parliamentary elections next month, after which the Korean Parliament's Taiwan Friendship Association will be reformed accordingly. He pledged to play the role of a bridge between South Korea and Taiwan.
Legislator Lin stated he is planning to resume exchange of visits by parliamentarians of Taiwan and South Korea as soon as the elections for the Korean Parliament and the new chair of the Korean Taiwan Friendship Association are accomplished. He also invited President Han to lead a delegation to visit South Korea for parliamentary diplomacy during the recess. Legislator Lin highlighted that Zhongxing Street in Yonghe district of New Taipei city, known as "Korea Street," was a project he initiated when he served as the mayor of Yonghe. The district has been long dwelt in by many Korean expatriates in Taiwan, most of who run successful wholesale businesses. He aims to further enhance bilateral exchanges in trade and tourism while Representative Lee is stationed in Taiwan. President Han joyfully remarked that since Legislator Lin worked hard to establish "Korea Street," he also hoped Representative Lee could help establish an equivalent "Taiwan Street" in Seoul to deepening bilateral friendship.
President Han continued by commending Representative Lee as one of the few diplomats with a science and engineering background. Representative Lee graduated from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Seoul National University and earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States. The President expressed his hope that Representative Lee will embody the pragmatic and steadfast spirit of engineers and scientists to enhance bilateral ties between Taiwan and South Korea.
Representative Lee thanked for the President's kind words and shared his past involvement in semiconductor research. He emphasized that in contemporary diplomatic relations, there has been a growing emphasis on technological exchanges. Products embodying the trilateral partnership between South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States continue to be launched. He hoped that more industries will join in to strengthen the tripartite relationship. In addition to technological sectors, tourism and culture are also the areas where he has been actively engaged in. Last year, he called on the mayors of Taoyuan, Keelung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung, respectively. On weekends, he frequently tours various parts of Taiwan. When visiting Yilan, he specifically avoided taking the Hsuehshan Tunnel and opted for the Beiyi Highway to appreciate the stunning scenery of the northern mountains. Last summer, during a family trip, he drove to Hualien. He has also explored areas near Taipei, including Tamsui, Baisha Bay, Yangmingshan, and Jinshan. The beauty of Taiwan's natural landscapes is breathtaking and deepens the understanding of why the West once called Taiwan "Ihla Formosa." However, Representative Lee emphasized that Taiwan's attractiveness is not just its landscapes but also its people. Wherever he went, he was impressed by the warmth and rich human touch of the Taiwanese people. Despite his limited proficiency in Mandarin, no body hesitated to communicate with him. He would be pleased to introduce more of Taiwan's natural attractions and the hospitality and enthusiasm of its people to South Korean citizens. This year, he plans to call at various government agencies and hopes to deepen exchanges with district legislators if their schedules allow.
President Han gladly acknowledged Representative Lee’s remarks and underlined the Legislative Yuan's consistent stance on international affairs despite internal debates. Legislator Lin added that a vice-chair of the friendship association from the DPP is also willing to assist across party lines. Director Kevin Lin also shared his experiences of promoting Taiwan-friendly associations in Busan and Gyeongju City Councils respectively while he was posted in Busan. These efforts eventually led to the signing of a friendship city agreement by the mayors of Gyeongju City and Tainan City in February this year. Since the establishment of the International Affairs Department, it has held a video conference with its counterpart in South Korea's parliament. Director Lin was optimistic that Taiwan and South Korea would engage in more interactions and cooperation for mutual benefit in the future.
The 30-minute meeting was followed by exchanging gifts and concluded in a warm and friendly vibe.
President Daniel K. Y. Han, accompanied by Legislator Lin Te-Fu, Secretary-General Chester Chou, and International Affairs Department Director Kevin C.F. Lin, met with Representative Lee Eun-Ho of the Korean Mission in Taipei on the morning of March 6.
President Han first warmly welcomed the visitors and took a photo together with Legislator Lin and Representative Lee, followed by a closed-door discussion. President Han mentioned that in Mandarin, his name contains the same characters as those representing the Republic of Korea (hereafter referred to as South Korea), which might indicate his personal bond with South Korea. He recalled getting acquainted with many Korean friends when he was a student, and each of them appeared to be kind-hearted and enthusiastic. While welcoming Representative Lee to the Legislative Yuan, President Han stressed that it is always a pleasure to greet a friend from afar. Taiwan is South Korea's sixth-largest trading partner and South Korea is Taiwan's fourth-largest trading partner, particularly with rapid growing in bilateral tourism. Before the pandemic (2017-2019), the annual number of visitors between Taiwan and South Korea exceeded one million people, and the number of South Korean tourists to Taiwan reached over 640,000 last year. President Han expressed his hope for furthering bilateral exchanges in fields like the economy, trade, and sports. He thus expected Legislator Lin, chairman of the "ROC–South Korea Parliamentary Friendship Association,” to help deepen bilateral ties. In the meantime, he also asked Representative Lee to convey the Legislative Yuan's expectations for more inter-parliamentary interaction to the Korean National Assembly.
Representative Lee first thanked President Han for taking time out of busy schedule to meet him and extended congratulations to President Han on assuming the new role as President of the Legislative Yuan. He is confident that under President Han's leadership, Taiwan’s new parliament would undergo a smooth transformation. Representative Lee amusingly referred to President Han’s name containing the word 'Korea', which is widely recognized. He continued by stating that Taiwan and Korea are important trade partners for each other, with the number of bilateral visitors steadily increasing. Representative Lee was surprised to find that despite Thailand's popularity as a tourist destination for Koreans, there are significantly more flights from Korea to Taiwan than to Thailand, according to recent statistics. In January of this year, the number of flights exceeded 2,000, highlighting the frequency of tourism and business exchanges between the two countries. He believes that important Korean figures will continue to visit Taiwan in the future.
Representative Lee also emphasized the significance of “the Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income” between Taiwan and South Korea, which officially came into effect on December 27 last year. He expressed special gratitude to the legislators for their dedication, as passing new legislation often requires considerable time and effort. Particularly, with the invaluable support of Legislator Lin in recent years, the above-mentioned bill received bipartisan support in Korean National Assembly, facilitating its smooth passage. He is convinced this agreement would not only benefit corporate taxation but also enhance bilateral business exchanges. Additionally, with South Korea set to hold parliamentary elections next month, after which the Korean Parliament's Taiwan Friendship Association will be reformed accordingly. He pledged to play the role of a bridge between South Korea and Taiwan.
Legislator Lin stated he is planning to resume exchange of visits by parliamentarians of Taiwan and South Korea as soon as the elections for the Korean Parliament and the new chair of the Korean Taiwan Friendship Association are accomplished. He also invited President Han to lead a delegation to visit South Korea for parliamentary diplomacy during the recess. Legislator Lin highlighted that Zhongxing Street in Yonghe district of New Taipei city, known as "Korea Street," was a project he initiated when he served as the mayor of Yonghe. The district has been long dwelt in by many Korean expatriates in Taiwan, most of who run successful wholesale businesses. He aims to further enhance bilateral exchanges in trade and tourism while Representative Lee is stationed in Taiwan. President Han joyfully remarked that since Legislator Lin worked hard to establish "Korea Street," he also hoped Representative Lee could help establish an equivalent "Taiwan Street" in Seoul to deepening bilateral friendship.
President Han continued by commending Representative Lee as one of the few diplomats with a science and engineering background. Representative Lee graduated from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Seoul National University and earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the United States. The President expressed his hope that Representative Lee will embody the pragmatic and steadfast spirit of engineers and scientists to enhance bilateral ties between Taiwan and South Korea.
Representative Lee thanked for the President's kind words and shared his past involvement in semiconductor research. He emphasized that in contemporary diplomatic relations, there has been a growing emphasis on technological exchanges. Products embodying the trilateral partnership between South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States continue to be launched. He hoped that more industries will join in to strengthen the tripartite relationship. In addition to technological sectors, tourism and culture are also the areas where he has been actively engaged in. Last year, he called on the mayors of Taoyuan, Keelung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung, respectively. On weekends, he frequently tours various parts of Taiwan. When visiting Yilan, he specifically avoided taking the Hsuehshan Tunnel and opted for the Beiyi Highway to appreciate the stunning scenery of the northern mountains. Last summer, during a family trip, he drove to Hualien. He has also explored areas near Taipei, including Tamsui, Baisha Bay, Yangmingshan, and Jinshan. The beauty of Taiwan's natural landscapes is breathtaking and deepens the understanding of why the West once called Taiwan "Ihla Formosa." However, Representative Lee emphasized that Taiwan's attractiveness is not just its landscapes but also its people. Wherever he went, he was impressed by the warmth and rich human touch of the Taiwanese people. Despite his limited proficiency in Mandarin, no body hesitated to communicate with him. He would be pleased to introduce more of Taiwan's natural attractions and the hospitality and enthusiasm of its people to South Korean citizens. This year, he plans to call at various government agencies and hopes to deepen exchanges with district legislators if their schedules allow.
President Han gladly acknowledged Representative Lee’s remarks and underlined the Legislative Yuan's consistent stance on international affairs despite internal debates. Legislator Lin added that a vice-chair of the friendship association from the DPP is also willing to assist across party lines. Director Kevin Lin also shared his experiences of promoting Taiwan-friendly associations in Busan and Gyeongju City Councils respectively while he was posted in Busan. These efforts eventually led to the signing of a friendship city agreement by the mayors of Gyeongju City and Tainan City in February this year. Since the establishment of the International Affairs Department, it has held a video conference with its counterpart in South Korea's parliament. Director Lin was optimistic that Taiwan and South Korea would engage in more interactions and cooperation for mutual benefit in the future.
The 30-minute meeting was followed by exchanging gifts and concluded in a warm and friendly vibe.