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Delegation Reports
PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION FROM
REPUBLIC OF KOREA: 29 JANUARY -
2 FEBRUARY
Delegation
Mr Yoo, Jay Kun Leader, Member of the Uri Party
Mr Chung, Ui Hwa
Member of Grand National Party
Mr Shin, Jung Sik
Member of the Democratic Party
Mr Chung, Eui Yong
Member of the Uri Party
Ms Ahn, Myung Ock
Member of the Grand National Party
Mr Hwang, Choong Yon Parliamentary Official
Ms Kim, Chi Young
Interpreter
The delegation led by Mr Yoo, Jay Kun arrived at Heathrow on Monday,
29 January 2007. On arrival, the delegation was met by Mr Kim, Consul
General of the South Korean Embassy, and Mr Jim Rodgers, Deputy Secretary
of the British Group Inter-Parliamentary Union, and taken directly to
the Marriott Hotel, County Hall. In the evening, they attended the official
welcoming dinner hosted by the Rt Hon Ann Clwyd MP, Chair of the British
Group IPU in the House of Commons.
Tuesday began with a tour of the Palace of Westminster conducted by Lord
Alton of Liverpool and Peter Bottomley MP. This was immediately followed
by a meeting with Mike Gapes MP, Chairman of the Select Committee on Foreign
Affairs. Points covered included North Korea’s nuclear testing programme,
resumption of the Six Party Talks and reunification. They also touched
on South Korea’s military commitments in Iraq, Afghanistan and the
Lebanon. Their forces, although not engaged in a combat role, are suffering
from overstretch and will have to be scaled down in Iraq probably before
the end of the year.
The morning was rounded off with a meeting with Mark Hutton, Deputy Principle
Clerk of the Journal Office, who gave a presentation on the procedures
of the House of Commons. Government lunch in Lancaster House was hosted
by Baroness Royall, spokesperson for Foreign Affairs in the House of Lords.
The afternoon programme, arranged by the Korean Embassy, included a visit
to the Nelson room of St Paul’s Cathedral to lay a wreath at the
Korean War Memorial. In the evening, Ken Courtenay, General Secretary
of the BGIPU, hosted a pre-theatre supper for the delegation at the Imperial
China restaurant before attending a performance of Les Miserables at the
Queens Theatre.
Wednesday started with a two-hour round table discussion with members
of the BGIPU chaired by Sir John Stanley MP, Chair of the Republic of
Korea, All Party Parliamentary Group. The agenda included bilateral relations,
reunification of the Korean Peninsula and Britain and Korea in the wider
world. Bilateral relations are strong and there has been a tremendous
increase in the number of Korean students studying in the UK but more
needs to be done on cultural exchanges between our two countries. The
influence of Western missionaries including the Anglican Church has had
a great influence on Korean society throughout the 20th century. There
is a very strong feeling among all Koreans both North and South for reunification
and working in a peaceful way without spilling blood. South Korea’s
policy is one of peaceful coexistence, and it is very much against pre-emptive
strikes. Nevertheless, opinion among the political parties, on how to
deal with the current crisis, is very different and the situation is delicate.
One worrying aspect that could effect reunification is China’s North
East Asia project which claims that Korea was once part of China. Delegates
expressed the fear that should the DPRK implode for any reason then China
may be tempted to fill the void. The delegation then attended Prime Minister’s
Questions before moving on to lunch in the Churchill Room hosted by Peter
Bottomley MP, Secretary of the Republic of Korea, All Party Parliamentary
Group, and other members of the BGIPU.
In the afternoon, the delegation paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Speaker,
Sir Alan Haselhurst MP, Chairman of Ways and Means. The delegates were
intrigued by his title and asked him to explain exactly what is meant
by “Ways and Means”. They then moved on to the final meeting
of the day with the Rt Hon James Arbuthnot MP, Chairman of the Defence
Select Committee.
Members of the committee expressed concern about wide spread rumours of
imminent starvation in the DPRK and the possibility of regime collapse.
The delegation explained that South Korea’s humanitarian aid had
been suspended following the North’s testing of a nuclear device.
China also threatened to suspend aid for the same reason and only agreed
to continue with its aid programme when the North agreed to resume the
six party talks. The North is controlled by the army and they are too
proud to admit that they cannot cope. They want unification but only on
their terms.Delegates described the DPRK as hell on earth with conditions
worse than the worst parts of Africa.That evening,the delegation attended
a dinner in their honour given by His Excellency Dr Yoon-Je Cho, Ambassador
of the Republic of Korea.
On Thursday morning, the delegation was welcomed to the British Museum
by Ms Jane Portal, Curator of the Asia Department, who conducted a tour
of the ground floor including the Reading Room and the Parthenon Marbles
before ending up with a detailed explanation of the exhibits in the Korea
section of the Asia Department. The delegates then returned to the House
of Commons for a meeting with Mr Nicolas Maclean, Senior Fellow for Diplomatic
Affairs, International Institute for Strategic Studies. The discussions
were general and wide ranging but with some emphasis on the Six Party
Talks that are about to resume in Beijing on 8 Feb 2007 after a break
of more than twelve months.
Lunch in the Astor Suite was hosted by John Austin MP, member of the Executive
Committee BGIPU. Following lunch, the delegates departed for the Randolph
Hotel Oxford where in the evening they attended a dinner hosted by Dr
James Lewis, University Lecturer in Korean History and Fellow of Wolfson
College, and attended by other academics from the university.
Friday the last day of the visit started with a very interesting tour
of Christ Church College, Oxford where the delegates learnt a little about
the history and traditions of the college. In the great hall they were
able to view the portraits of past alumnae as well as some of the fixtures
and fittings that have been immortalised in the works of Lewis Caroll
and the adventures of Harry Potter. The remainder of the day was spent
in the Oxfordshire constituency of Tony Baldry MP. The delegates visited
the Bicester Retail Village where they were introduced to Miranda Markham
of the Village management team and Mr Jim Olexa, Managing Director of
GEK Global Solutions. Both described their businesses and the relationship
they enjoyed with their local MP and how he was able to intercede in disputes
that they had had with the local council. Mr Baldry then very kindly invited
the delegation to lunch at Dovecote House, his home in Bloxham. The delegation
then returned to London for a farewell meeting with His Excellency Dr
Yoon-Je Cho at Heathrow.
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