Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership
Between the Government of the Republic of Korea
and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark
At the invitation of H.M. Queen Margrethe II of the Kingdom of Denmark (hereinafter referred to as Denmark), President of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as the ROK), H.E. Lee Myung-bak, paid a State Visit to Denmark on 11-12 May 2011. This followed the State Visit to the ROK by H.M. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark in 2007.
During the State Visit H.E. President Lee Myung-bak and H.E. Prime Minister Lars Løkke Ras-mussen held a summit meeting on 12 May 2011. This represented a valuable opportunity to build upon the successful dialogue they conducted in March 2010 on the occasion of H.E. Prime Minister Rasmussen’s official visit to the Republic of Korea.
At the summit meeting the two Leaders, noting that this year marks the 60th anniversary of the dispatch of the Danish hospital ship ‘Jutlandia’ to support the allied forces who fought in the Korean War under United Nations Command, reviewed the considerable advances in the bilateral relations and the fruitful cooperation since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1959.
Noting the further strengthening of Danish-Korean relations in recent years in the political, economic, cultural and other fields, both sides agreed that they shared a common interest in working closer together on bilateral, regional, mul¬tilateral and global issues.
To mark the mutually beneficial relations and to further streng¬then their cooperation, the two sides agreed to launch a Strategic Partnership encompassing the most significant areas of present and future coope¬ration.
Political and Security Cooperation
The two Leaders agreed to strengthen the political dialogue by maintaining the momentum for re¬gular high-level exchanges. To this end, regular political consultations will be held between the two Foreign Ministries including at the Ministerial level to discuss issues of mutual interest. These political consultations could take place in Seoul or Copenhagen or on the margins of international meetings. Other inter-Ministerial consul¬tations and exchanges as well as increased dialogue between the Danish Parliament and the National Assembly of the ROK and other democratic institutions will be encouraged.
Denmark and Korea both fully support a fair, just and rules-based multilateral international system, with the United Nations playing the central role in addressing global issues and bringing political solutions to international disputes through consultations and negotiations. The two sides will strengthen cooperation in the United Nations, ASEM, EU-Korea relations and other multilateral mechanisms, including close dialogue about the possibilities to promote mutual support for each other’s candidatures for international organisations.
Denmark has expressed its continued support for the efforts exerted by the ROK to establish peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula through meaningful developments in inter-Korean relations, on a basis of sincere and substantial dialogue. Furthermore, the two Leaders agreed to continue consultations to achieve this goal.
Denmark has rendered its consistent support for the denuclearization of North Korea. Both sides condemned North Korea’s recently disclosed uranium enrichment activities in violation of UN Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874. Both sides urged North Korea to fully comply with UN Security Council resolutions, in particular by abandoning all nuclear programs including its Uranium Enrichment Programme (UEP) in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner and ceasing all related activities.
The ROK acknowledged Denmark’s renewed commitment to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula by re-establishing its membership in the United Nations Command (UNC)-Korea in 2000 and assigning officers to the UNC Military Armistice Commission (MAC) in April 2009. To date, Denmark has assigned six officers to the UNC MAC to conduct Armistice maintenance activities. Presently, two Danish Field Grade officers serve as the Corridor Control Officer for Transportation Corridor-East and as the Assistant DMZ Operations Officer.
Economic and Trade Cooperation
Recognizing that there is enormous potential for the expansion of trade and investment be-tween the ROK and Denmark, the two Leaders agreed to work to deepen and expand mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation, making full use of the potential of the EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which will enter into force in July 2011.
The two Leaders shared the view that the private sectors of both countries could further ex-pand cooperation on new technology such as green technology, renewable energy technology, bio-technology, pharmaceutical industry technology and in other sectors. In this regard, the two Leaders noted that the Korea-Denmark Green Growth Alliance Business Conference held on the second day of the State Visit provided a valuable opportunity to enhance the trade and economic ties between Korean and Danish business communities.
Recalling the ‘Arrangement between the Ministry of National Defense of the ROK and the Minis-try of Defence of Denmark on the Protection of Classified Military Information’, signed on 5 April 2011, the two Leaders also agreed to further enhance ROK-Denmark defence cooperation. In this regard, the two Leaders welcomed the signing of the ‘Memorandum of Understanding concerning Cooperation in the Field of the Defense Industry’ during H.E. President Lee’s State Visit to Denmark to enhance Korean and Da¬nish defense suppliers’ access to tenders in the two countries.
President Lee Myung-bak appreciated Denmark’s early decision regarding its participation in the Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea, which is to be held in Yeosu, Korea from 12 May to 12 August, 2012. The President welcomed the official visit of the Danish Crown Prince couple in connection with Expo 2012. The two Leaders agreed to continue working closely for the success of the Yeosu Expo.
Green Growth Alliance
The two Leaders noted that both the ROK and Denmark are ambitious and active when it comes to fighting climate change, promoting green growth and developing green technology. They also shared the view that the Korean ‘Low Carbon Green Growth’ strategy and the Danish ‘Energy Strategy 2050’ serve as a clear demonstration of the commitment from both countries in these areas. The two sides agreed that there are common challenges but also common opportunities. The two Leaders emphasized the importance of green growth as an important tool for the creation of employment, prosperity, and protection of biodiversity, as well as in contributing to global CO2 reductions, reducing environmental risks and promoting sustainable use of natural resources.
Within the framework of the Strategic Partnership, the two Leaders launched a Korean-Danish Green Growth Alliance. Through the Alliance, the ROK and Denmark will promote a range of activities and increase cooperation both at the bilateral and multilateral levels. The Green Growth Alliance, which covers many areas of cooperation, is described in a separate statement: ‘Joint Statement on the Establishment of the Green Growth Alliance between the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark’ attached herewith.
One of the main elements of the Green Growth Alliance will be the Global Green Growth Insti-tute (GGGI). Confirming their commitment to support the transition of developing countries to a green economy, the two Leaders welcomed the opening of the GGGI branch office in Denmark during the State Visit. H.E. President Lee Myung-bak also noted the Danish Government’s active participation in the GGGI, including the Danish Government’s decision to make financial contribu-tions to the GGGI.
Social and Cultural Cooperation
The two sides emphasized the importance of enhancing the exchange of knowledge, experience and culture between the peoples of the ROK and Denmark.
Recalling the ‘Memorandum of Understanding Between the Government of the ROK and the Government of Denmark concerning a Working Holiday Programme’, signed on 28 October 2010, the ‘Agreement on Social Security between the ROK and Denmark’, signed on 11 March 2010, and the ‘Memorandum of Understanding on Education and Human Resource Development Between the Ministry of Education of Denmark and the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development of the ROK’, signed on 8 November 2006, the two Leaders underlined their willingness to further develop the possibilities for mobility, cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries as a means of strengthening the bonds be-tween the ROK and Denmark.
International Cooperation
Acknowledging their common interests and priorities in a range of global issues, such as the global financial architecture, climate change negotiations, non-proliferation and nuclear security, piracy and development, the two Leaders agreed to further strengthen cooperation in these areas and confirmed their continued willingness to be actively engaged in these areas.
The two sides share the belief that there is much to be gained from a closer relationship be¬twe-en Europe and Asia, and agreed to work together toward this end – in close coope¬ration also with other partners. The two Leaders agreed that future possibilities for closer dialogue and cooperation within new areas both thematically and geographically could be explored in the years ahead.
The two Leaders noted that both countries support the UN Security Council’s adoption of Reso-lution 1973 on 17 March, 2011 for the protection of civilians in Libya and, as a member of the United Nations will take measures to implement the Resolution. The two Leaders also expressed their wish that Libya may advance toward a better future in a peaceful manner.
The two Leaders concurred also on the need for close cooperation, both at the bilateral and multilateral level, in the fight against piracy. Noting Denmark’s efforts as a chair country of the Working Group 2 (WG2) of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia, the two Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening international cooperation at all levels in combating piracy.
The two Leaders expressed the view that the G-20 is of great value as a very important forum for international economic cooperation and welcomed the Seoul Development Consensus for Shared Growth and its Multi-Year Action Plan on Development adopted at the Seoul Summit.
Recognizing that climate change represents a profound environmental challenge, the two Leaders welcomed the Cancun Agreement, adopted on 10 December 2010 in Cancun, Mexico at the 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. They also reaffirmed their determination to work closely together in the negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The two Leaders affirmed their commitment to the Millennium Goals and to continue their ef-forts to assist developing countries in Africa and elsewhere fight poverty and promote growth and employment. Recalling the ‘Memorandum of Understanding on Enhanced Development Dialogue and Cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea’, signed on 4 June 2010, the two Leaders underlined that the ROK and Denmark will continue to enhance cooperation and exchange knowledge and best practices in development cooperation. The two Leaders reiterated in this respect the importance of the work within the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee and their resolve to work for fruitful and forward-looking outcomes from the Fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness to be held in Busan in November/December 2011.
The two Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights. They underlined the importance of cooperation in strengthening the universality of human rights in various multilateral fora, such as the UN.
The two Leaders noted with satisfaction that the State Visit which was held in an atmosphere of long-standing friendship and mutual understanding represent a further milestone in the de-velopment of the relations between the ROK and Denmark.
President Lee Myung-bak expressed his deep appreciation to H.M. Queen Margrethe II, the Government and people of Denmark for the warm reception and generous hospitality rendered to him and his delegation.
Copenhagen
12 MAY 2011
Encl.: Joint Statement on the Establishment of the Green Growth Alliance