Korea seeks to expand influence in Pacific

President Yoon Suk Yeol poses with prime ministers and foreign ministers of 12 Pacific Island nations and the secretary general of the Pacific Islands Forum during a meeting held in Seoul, Oct. 27, 2022. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Inaugural Korea-Pacific Islands Summit to take place in Seoul next week

By Lee Hyo-jin

Soft sand, palm trees and turquoise water are the first things to come to mind when most South Koreans think about Pacific Island nations. The Pacific Islands are perfect vacation spots for those who want to enjoy tropical landscapes and vibrant culture.

But the island nations are more than just tourist destinations.

These small-but-diverse nations are rising as key partners for Korea's foreign policy goal of becoming a global pivotal state. In recent years, Korea and the island nations have been exploring ways to build relations in many fronts including climate change, regional development and disaster response.

To boost their cooperation in earnest, the Korean government will host an inaugural summit with the Pacific Island nations in Seoul on May 29 and 30, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Korea has invited all 18 Pacific Island Forum (PIF) members, which includes Papua New Guinea, Fiji, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Tonga, Palau, Niue, Nauru, Kiribati, the Federated States of Micronesia, Samoa, the Cook Islands, Australia, New Zealand, French Polynesia and New Caledonia.

Founded in 1971, the PIF is an intergovernmental body aimed at enhancing cooperation among island countries in the region.

The summit will be held under the theme "Navigating towards Co-prosperity: Strengthening Cooperation with the Blue Pacific." It is the first multilateral summit to be held under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration.

Korea's ties with Pacific Island nations date back to the 1970s, beginning with diplomatic relations with Tonga. Korea then became the Post-Forum Dialogue partner of the PIF in 1995 and has since been making efforts to support the regional development and empowerment of Pacific Island nations in various fields, including health care, climate change, trade and tourism.

Helen Aitsi, back right, charge d'affaires at the Embassy of Papua New Guinea in Korea, holds a dice during an event promoting the 2023 Korea-Pacific Islands Summit at Cheonggye Plaza in downtown Seoul, May 10. Yonhap

Korea and the PIF have been holding foreign minister-level talks on a regular basis since 2011. Last October, Korea invited foreign ministers from 14 Pacific Island states to Seoul, where they discussed developmental aid to the region and cooperation on climate change.

The upcoming summit reflects the need for a drastic upgrade in relations, according to the foreign ministry. The inaugural event will reflect broadening and deepening cooperation on key issues such as climate change, response to health crises, maritime security, environmental protection and advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific.

"The upcoming summit signals a full-scale implementation of our Indo-Pacific Strategy which was announced last year, and it will also serve as an important momentum in expanding Korea's diplomatic horizons to the Pacific region," said Deputy Foreign Minister Choi Young-sam, who heads the summit planning team.

Korea's Indo-Pacific Strategy, unveiled last December, aims to establish a rules-based international order in the region by encouraging inclusiveness, freedom and reciprocity.

"As mentioned in the Indo-Pacific Strategy, we will support the strategic implementation of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent initiative of the Pacific Island nations, while strengthening partnerships through harmony with our own Indo-Pacific Strategy," Choi said.

"We will also discuss ways to contribute to resolving the most urgent issues faced by the Pacific Island countries such as climate change, disaster response and regional development, with an aim to pursue co-prosperity."

On the first day of the two-day event, the leaders will hold the summit, followed by a dinner hosted by President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee. The first lady will also host a separate programs for the leaders' spouses. The next day, the participants will visit the southeastern port city of Busan to participate in various side events.

The Korean government also sees the summit as an opportunity to promote Busan's bid to host the World Expo in 2030. It is said that the Pacific Island nations' collective voices on the global stage have significant influence on major international agendas.

Police officers from a special operations unit conduct a mock terrorism drill to check preparedness at the Busan Asiad Stadium, Tuesday, ahead of the inaugural Korea-Pacific Island summit which will be held May 29 to 30. Yonhap

The Pacific Island nations are expected to ask for Korea's increased development assistance in responding to climate change. As rising sea levels caused by climate change are the most pressing security priority for the region, Pacific leaders have been demanding developed countries scale up provision of climate-related funding.

Moreover, cultural and people-to-people exchanges are another field in which Korea and Pacific nations can build partnerships. Korean pop culture has been catching on in some Pacific nations including Fiji, Kiribati and the Federated States of Micronesia.

The summit will also touch on Japan's planned release of contaminated water from the defunct Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, a shared concern between Korea and Pacific nations.

Foreign Minister Park Jin said during a National Assembly session, Tuesday, that he expects the issue to come up during the summit. PIF Secretary General Henry Puna told Korean media during a press conference held on Fiji, April 26, that he looks "forward to the discussions on that issue with Korea."