Ambassador’s message – November 30th Irish Korean Economic Relations

“Ambassador’s Message – 30 November 2012
Irish Korean Economic Relations

Today in Dublin, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will be hosting a Korean delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The occasion is the biennial Joint Economic Commission (JEC), a convening of trade officials to enhance bilateral economic relations. The meetings of the JEC are held alternately in Seoul and Dublin. The Irish side is led by the Director General, Trade Promotion Division, Colm Ó Floinn, assisted by our own Deputy Head of Mission, Ruth Parkin. The Korean delegation is led by
Deputy Minister for Trade, Lee Si-hyung and a team from the Ministry and the Korean Embassy in Ireland.

I am often asked about the nature of the economic relationship between our two countries. In light of the JEC’s discussions later today, and taking advantage of up-to-date information, it is a good opportunity to brief you on this aspect of our bilateral relations. Here are some key points:

• Korean FDI in Ireland is extremely limited, comprising machine manufacture and financial services. It is a situation we are hoping to improve.  With additional focus from Irish and Korea investment agencies, encouraged by this meeting of the JEC, I am hopeful that we can fill this gap in our economic relations.

• Opportunities in Korea for Ireland’s export sector include,  Food and Beverage / Seafood; Internationally Traded Services (Aviation Services, Financial Services, Other Professional Consultancy Services); Agricultural Equipment and Machinery; Semiconductors; Industrial Machinery and Equipment and Electronic Components; Clean-Tech; Life Sciences (Bio Pharma and Services, Medical Devices and Sub Supplies, Diagnostic Testing Equipment and Chemicals), Information and Communication Technology, E-Learning; Education Services (Third level education, English as a Foreign Language).

Overall, this picture is encouraging. There is a sense of Ireland and Korea both becoming increasingly aware of each other’s existence. Korea as an economic and exporting powerhouse is increasingly known in Ireland. We have some work to do to increase awareness in Korea of why Ireland is ranked so highly as a destination for Foreign Direct Investment. This is not just about our low corporate tax rate, but about our work-force, our business environment, the clustering of global companies at the cutting edge of ICT and life-sciences and the ‘eco-system’ of research and development between our universities and companies in Ireland, both FDI and indigenous.

I am convinced that Ireland and Korea can substantially enhance our bilateral relationship not just in economic terms but also in other areas: the North-South lesson sharing initiative comes to mind but culturally and academically there is much that we can share too. There are a number of projects in the pipeline next year which will serve as a useful platform for further exchanges, all the more appropriate since in 2013 we are celebrating thirty years of diplomatic relations.

Best wishes and have a good weekend,
Eamonn

Eamonn McKee
Ambassador”

Message from the Irish Embassy – 21 November 2012 – visits to Gwangju, Mokpo and Jeju

“Over the past two weeks I have had the honour to visit Jeju, Gwangju and Mokpo and to meet the Columban Fathers and Sister who work in these areas. I was accompanied by a photographer recording these impressive people and their work.

Many of you will have read the Ambassador’s accounts of his own visits to Mokpo and Jeju so I will not repeat too much of those visits but I will give you a little reminder of the great work of Sr Ger Ryan in Jeju and Frs P.J McGlinchy and Michael Riordan in Jeju.

Most importantly I’d like to introduce a few people who would be well known to old Korea hands but are new to this message list.

Firstly, Fr Michael O’Grady who kindly met us at the station and acted as guide for the morning: Fr Michael first came to Korea in Korea in 1970 and Gwangju in 1978. He took us to see the Columban House in the city where we met with our second Father – Pat Murphy from Kerry who has been involved in parish work in Jeju and then Gwangju for many years. Fr Pat and Fr Michael shared a cup of tea and showed us the Columban House in Gwangju. Both are still engaged in parish work and ensuring the financial stability of the Order in Korea into the future.

Fr Michael took us to meet the third Columban Father we were to meet in Gwangju: Fr Noel O’Neill who arrived in Korea in 1957. Having worked for many years in parishes Fr O’Neill now works with people with learning disabilities with a grace and enthusiasm which is both engaging and infectious. Fr. O’Neill established the first group home for people with intellectual disability in Korea in Gwangju in 181. He now runs 16 group homes which cater for about 4 people in each. He himself lives in one of the group homes living his vision of sharing the community with all people.

He also runs a training centre for people with disabilities past school age with the aim of training them for employment in the community. In total Fr O’Neill estimates that approximately 500 people have gone through the centre. In addition, the organisation runs training for staff of other centres in Korea and over 800 staff members have benefited from this training.

For those who do not make it to open employment he runs other enterprises including a candle factory and a toilet paper plant and there are hopes to diversity into packaging soon. We were able to see the paper and candle factories in operation and can testify to the quality of the product produced. One of the ladies in the line packing the toilet paper had competed in the Special Olympics in Ireland. Some of her colleagues had travelled also, paying for the tickets from their wages. Fr O’Neill speaks with determination and dedication about his work with people who he has found to be let down too often by society, not just in Korea, but all around the world.

We then had the honour to meet four young men now living in a group home. These four young men lived in a large institution until last year when it closed following a documentary exposing malpractice. The pride and joy on these men’s faces when they showed us their rooms which are the first spaces they have ever which belong just to them was magnificent and a testament to the work of Fr O’Neill over the past decades.

There are approximately 700 intellectually disabled people currently availing of the services Fr O’Neill has established in Gwangju. To find out more about his work please have a look at this information online. (http://www.emmausw.or.kr/emmausw/index_en.php) This site has links to the sites with detail on the training centre, workplaces, workshops, residential care and child care centres.  We only had the opportunity to see a fraction of his work and I do hope to be back to learn more.

In the afternoon we went to visit St. Ger Ryan in Mokpo. Many of you will remember the Ambassador’s message last year when he detailed St Ger’s impressive work with people with disability in Mokpo and others will have seen the children from her project at the Asian Gaelic Games in Suwon in the autumn of 2011. Sr. Ger runs a kindergarten, daycare, training centre, respite care and group homes for people with intellectual and physical disability from toddlers to adults. Her work is deeply impressive and driven by compassion and a fundamental belief in the equality of all people. She is the lone Columban Sister living and working in Mokpo and her achievements cannot be overplayed.

About ten days ago I also visited the Isidore Development Association on Jeju, Korea where Fr P.J McGlinchy established a complex centred around the Isidore Farm where there are beef and dairy cattle and a stud farm. Situated near the farm are a kindergarten for local children, a hospice for the dying and terminally ill, a nursing home, a retreat centre and a parish church that can seat up to 1,500. Fr McGlinchy still lives on the complex although day to day work is directed by Fr Michael Riordan who is still a north Dub at heart despite his many years in Korea. For more information on the farm on Jeju please see http://www.isidore.or.kr. There, over the years new farming practices and skills have been brought to the island. From new pig breeds, through sheep rearing and the weaving of wool for Aran jumpers and blankets and now organic beef and dairy it is a forward looking and inspiring farming institution and its associated centres which care and cater for the local residents are examples of best practice anywhere.

If you would like to see either of Ambassador McKee’s message on the work of Fr McGlinchy or Sr Ger please let us know and we will send them to you.

Best regards,
Ruth

Ruth Parkin
Deputy Head of Mission”

Ambassador’s message – October 11th

“As you may have seen in some media coverage, the Embassy hosted a North-South lesson-sharing visit by a delegation from Ireland last week.  This project began in discussions between the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore and the Minister of Unification Yu Woo-ik this time last year.

How to characterise the visit?  I would say stimulating, informative, revealing and affirmative. Perhaps the most important description is ‘affirmative’ in that the visit affirmed the value of sharing lessons and exchanging views with our Korean counterparts.

This was partly because of commonalities such as our shared colonial history, partition, the generation of conflict and aspirations for unity.  But importantly it was affirmative too for what was not held in common; for example the absence of internationally binding agreements embracing all issues and relationships or of inter-governmental mechanisms for managing escalating tensions and unexpected events or actions.  While the equations of identity are different, exploring our differences helped illuminate the nature of national identity and the nature of aspirations about the future.  The news of the Scottish referendum on independence in 2014 was a useful entry point into these discussions.

The focus of the visit was on the North South Ministerial Council, the work of its Secretariat and the purpose and activities of two of the six specialised North-South bodies established by the Good Friday Agreement.

The delegation comprised Mary Bunting, Northern Ireland Joint Secretary of the North-South Ministerial Council, my colleague Margaret Stanley, Southern Deputy Joint Secretary, Pat Colgan of the Special EU Peace Programmes Body and Thomas Hunter McGowan (CEO) and Aidan Gough (Director for Strategy) of Inter-Trade Ireland.

Our counterparts were senior officials from the Ministry of Unification and members of the Korean Institute for National Unification.  In addition to presentations on their areas of work by the delegation, I gave an introductory presentation on the peace process focusing on intergovernmental cooperation since the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement and the historic settlement
of 1998.  (We will load up all documents on the Embassy website in English and Korean.)  At the end of their visit, the delegation briefed Ambassadors on their views and impressions of the exercise.

In the question and answer sessions, several themes and topics emerged.  These included approaches to unity and cross-border cooperation; the nature of national identity, territory and consent; negotiations, trust and the role of the US; security; dealing with the past; sustainability of peace building; power-sharing; and mechanisms for intergovernmental cooperation.

Two issues emerged from our side.  One was the sheer patience required and the time spans involved – the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985; the Hume-Adams dialogue 1988; the IRA ceasefire 1994; the Good Friday Agreement 1998; decommissioning of paramilitary weapons and the establishment of a stable power-sharing 2007; the first meeting two weeks ago of the North-South inter-parliamentary forum.  The other theme stressed was the delicate and complex nature of North-South relations that are the heart of the historic settlement of 1998.  For the officials involved in the NSMC Secretariat and the North-South bodies, this is a daily reality for officials given that what are in themselves mundane matters become highly political in the nationalist-unionist force-field.

The delegation visited the DMZ, including observing the crossing into Kaesong, the 3rd tunnel, the Joint Security Area and the observation platform.  I think it is fair to say that they found it both impressive and sad that such mighty infrastructure divided one people.

While all conflicts are different in origin and character, peace-building solutions share many common features; a commitment not to use violence or the threat of violence to influence negotiations; resilient inter-governmental process that can withstand and manage unexpected events; comprehensive talks under independent chairmanship; agreed outcomes established through binding treaties; supporting input from regional partners and the international community; effective and monitored implementation.

I would like to thank the members of the delegation for their presentations and the candour of their engagement.  Indeed, the joint nature of our delegation itself illustrated how far we have travelled in our own journey to peace and reconciliation.  I would also like to acknowledge the wonderful hospitality of our hosts at the Ministry of Unification and the serious engagement of our interlocutors throughout the visit.  I am very hopeful that this lesson-sharing exchange is just the first of many.

Best wishes,
Eamonn
Eamonn McKee
Ambassador”

Ambassador’s message – October 11th

“I am delighted to tell you that a joint North-South delegation from Ireland will be arriving in Seoul next week as part of a Bridging Borders project we have developed with the Ministry of Unification. It is a lesson-sharing initiative with Korean policy makers and academics concerning Ireland’s experience of negotiating and implementing the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which brought the conflict on our island to a close.

This visit will focus particularly on a key part of that settlement, namely North South relations and the establishment of the cross-border North South Ministerial Council, which is the formal interface between the administrations in Ireland, North and South.  Discussion will also focus on the experience of specialised cross-border agencies established to promote co-operation, particularly Inter-Trade Ireland and the Special EU Programmes Body.

The delegation will meet with Ministry of Unification officials as well as speaking to a Korean Institute of Unification hosted seminar of invited academics, officials and other interested parties. In addition, they will brief international resident Ambassadors on the visit and its objectives.

The objective of lesson sharing is not to offer prescriptions but simply to relate our experiences and lessons-learned.  If our counterparts find something of interest, we will follow-up with further information and exchanges. Our hope is that we can do something similar with the DPRK in the future.  We are translating key documents into Korean and will post them on our website for anyone interested.

I am also delighted to announce that we have launched our Twitter account you can now get more regular short updates on the work of the Embassy and news about Ireland in Korea. I have to thank the Deputy Head of Mission, Ruth Parkin, for her prowess on all things related to ICT, the internet and social networking. I encourage the tweeters among you to follow us on @IrishEmbKorea.

Finally, I would also like to let you know that the Columban Sisters are holding their Annual Bazaar on Sunday 14 October from 9.00am to 4.00pm at their Convent in Seoul (1-1, Dongsun-dong 2 ga, Sungbuk-gu).  Food will be served and goods on sale include homemade brown bread, marmalades and jams, teas, clothes and goods from other Columban Mission countries.  All proceeds go to support their wonderful missionary work here in Korea.  I hope you can drop along.

Best wishes,
Eamonn

Eamonn McKee
Ambassador”

Ambassador’s message – September 17th

“I am delighted to inform you that the Government of Ireland has approved €200,000 in support of the World Food Programme’s continuing operations in the DPRK. This is a significant contribution to the WFP’s feeding operation in North Korea, which provides vital nutritional support to women and children in eighty-nine counties in nine provinces. As you may recall from my message last May, during our visit to the DPRK, my wife and I saw at first hand the young beneficiaries of the WFP programme; the provision of essential micro-nutrients help them develop normally despite the chronic malnutrition that is so widespread in North Korea.

You may also recall that the Irish NGO Concern is operating in the DPRK (see www.concern.net ). Its programme is focused centres of excellence for testing and sharing new techniques to improve agricultural methods, mitigate problems (like soil erosion and poor fertiliser), improve yields and enhance nutritional returns on crops. It is also working on water sanitation systems and solar pumping for clean water distribution.  The Irish Government, through the Irish Aid Civil Society programme, is providing €400,000 this year to Concern’s operation in the DPRK.  The EU also supports Concern’s projects in the DPRK.

One of the UN’s great recent innovations in emergency relief was the creation of the Central Emergency Relief Fund or CERF in 2006.  Its purpose is two-fold:  to provide rapid funding for sudden onset emergencies through grants and loans (facilities of $450m and $30m respectively) and to grant-aid under-funded emergencies (see www.unocha.org/cerf ).  The UN has made some $13 million available so far this year to agencies operating in the DPRK via the CERF.

When I was in Pyongyang last August I attended the inter-agency meeting of UN and NGO organisations.  The value of the CERF was widely acknowledged at the meeting.  The CERF is the third way in which the Irish Government supports humanitarian relief in the DPRK. Since its inception, Ireland has been a strong supporter: Ireland has contributed $115m to the CERF since its establishment.  Ireland’s 2012 allocation to the CERF is €4 million.

The Irish public continues to support the Irish Aid programme, despite our fiscal and financial challenges.  Opinion polls suggest support of 85% .  Indeed, almost 80% believe that Ireland should try to reach its aid target of 0.7% of GNP by 2015, one of the key UN Millennium Development Goals.  Currently our aid budget is €670m, down from €921m in 2008 but still a significant 0.5% of GNP.

For more information, see www.irishaid.gov.ie where you can also download Irish Aid’s 2011 Annual Report, which has just been released.

Best wishes,
Eamonn

Eamonn McKee
Ambassador”

Ambassador’s message – September 7th

“As we pivot into autumn and summer becomes a memory, I hope you had a good break, whether that involved holidaying in Korea, taking a vacation nearby or, best of all, enjoying a break in Ireland. Before visiting family in the US, I took some time to hike part of the Kerry Way with my son, starting on a glorious day at Waterville. The weather did not keep up over following days but even with cloud overhead, Kerry is beautiful. Between hostelries along the way and Bed and Breakfasts at day’s end, it was a wonderful experience.

Returning from familiar settings reminds me that living far away from home can be a stressful experience as well as enjoyable and exciting. Many us living wihout our networks of family and long-term friends and well known professionals close-by have times when we’d like to speak to someone independent about the issues we are facing and how they are making us feel without having to deal with differences of cultural background.

A service established in July 2011 provides just this space. The Irish Online Counselling and Psychotherapy Service will arrange to speak to Irish people living abroad online through instant messaging, telephone and Skype. They are available outside Irish office hours and they are already speaking to Irish people all over the world. Further information is available at http://www.counsellingonline.ie/ and http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/generationemigration/2012/08/01/providing-support-beyond-the-departure-gates/.

I thought you might be interested in some catch up about the things that are on our radar screens here at the Embassy.

The Irish Association of Korea is hosting its second autumn Céilí at D-Cube Plaza, Shindorim. Last year’s event was wonderful with Irish music and dancing in the amphitheatre there and great facilities and shops in the adjacent shopping mall. If you are free, please join us on Saturday 15 September next, between 1pm and 5pm.

Ireland continues to make progress in terms of meeting its targets under the EC/ECB/IMF programme. Revenue remains on course and our underlying budget deficit is decreasing, though payments in response to the banking crisis continue to be a major burden. As a measure of increase confidence in our recovery, the National Treasury Management Agency returned to the markets with a bond offer last July. This generated strong investor demand with commitments of €5.23 billion.

A full return to the international bond market depends on resolving the crisis in the Eurozone because only that will definitively lower bond yields. Confidence in the Euro has been boosted considerably this week by the announcement by the ECB of using unlimited monetary resources to support the bond market. That the ECB’s council of central bankers agreed to this yesterday, with the support of EU leaders, indicates a new level of determination to protect and preserve the Euro. Markets have already rallied and the Euro strengthened. The key is to sustain this confidence. This and a return of demand in Europe will greatly boost growth prospects in exporting countries like Ireland and Korea.

Ireland does not export natural resources like Russia and the Middle East. Our exports are not based on commodities like South American economies. We offer an educated, talented and flexible workforce, combined with a low rate of tax at 12.5% on trading profits and an excellent business environment that is competitive and facilitates enterprise. In short, we trade on our reputation as a place to invest, to do business and to live.

It was important therefore that Ireland has steadily improved its reputation. According to a recent survey of public opinion within the top G8 countries, our ranking as a reputable country has improved from 17th to 15th (Canada ranked first, Iraq last.) We were 11th in three previous studies and so we have a ways to go but we are moving in the right direction. For more information, visit http://www.corporatereputations.ie.

Here in Seoul, we will have a unique platform to highlight Ireland’s road to recovery and the future of the Eurozone when former Taoiseach John Bruton addresses the 13th World Knowledge Forum on 10th October next. The forum, organised by the Maeil Media Group whose daily business newspaper is the fourth largest in the world by circulation, convenes some 3,000 leaders, policy makers and academics for presentations and discussions.

While the Foreign Direct Investment sector in Ireland has driven our growth since the 1960s and comprises the bulk of our exports, Ireland does have a vigorous indigenous sector and I will profile some of our leading exporters over the coming months. I am often asked, for example, what does Ireland export to Korea? I will look at some of those stories but also further a-field to give you a sense of Ireland’s economic future from the perspective of our entrepreneurs.

Have a good weekend,
Best wishes,
Eamonn

Eamonn McKee
Ambassador

Embassy message – Asia Pacific Irish Business Forum

“Many of you will remember that last October Korea played host to the Asia Pacific Irish Business Forum. This Friday, 13 July the second Irish based Forum will be held at Croke Park with the keynote address delivered by the Taoiseach, Mr Enda Kenny, T.D.

Korean speakers at APIBF include  H.E. Mr. Chang Yeob Kim, Ambassador of Korea and Gwang Young Chung, Director General, KOTRA London and Irish business experts with proven success in Korea at APIBF  include Colin Lawlor from BiancaMed and  Kevin O’ Leary from Qumas.

We at the Embassy expect that this will be another excellent opportunity for Irish businesses working in Korea to network with others working in the region and to learn more about the opportunities now opening up.

Further details on how to register can be found www.apibfireland.com.

The next Asian based APIBF is expected to be in Kuala Lumpur on the eve of the Asian Gaelic Games in October.”

Embassy Message, December 28, 2011

Recent message from the embassy regarding immigration.

“I am writing to let you know of a change to Korean immigration procedures which will come into effect this weekend.

The Embassy has received a formal notification from the Korea Immigration Service that from the 1 January 2012 – this coming Sunday- all non-Korean nationals with some limited exceptions will be required to provide biometric information on entering the Republic of Korea.

The KIS have provided further information on their website which can be viewed here. We would recommend that view this information before travelling.

I do hope you are enjoying a peaceful Christmas period whenever you are and I wish those of you returning to Korea from abroad a safe journey.

Best regards,
Ruth Parkin/Charge d’Affaires”