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 Fiji |  South Korea |
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Fiji and South Korea established official diplomatic relations in January 1971, Korea having recognised Fiji's accession to independence the previous year. [1] There is a South Korean embassy in Suva [2] and a Fijian embassy in Seoul. Fiji opened its embassy in Seoul in July 2012 to "foster trade and investment" and to "promote people-to-people exchanges". [3] [4]
Some sources[ which? ] state that relations between Fiji and South Korea can be traced as far back as the Korean War, where Fiji sent its troops to fight under the British Flag as Fiji was a British colony at the time.
The then "interim government" of Fiji, led by Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, continued the "Look North" foreign policy initiated by his predecessor Laisenia Qarase. This includes strengthening diplomatic and economic relations with South Korea, [5] as well as with other Asian countries. Fiji's relations with Western countries are currently poor, due to the lack of democracy in the South Pacific nation, and it is in this context that the Bainimarama administration has turned to Asia. [6] Fiji's Interim Foreign Minister Ratu Epeli Nailatikau has noted approvingly that South Korea has "not interfered in Fiji's political affairs", and that Fiji-ROK relations have been "cordial"; "The ROK has also been active in the provision of technical and other assistance." [5]
In July 2007, Fiji's Interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry outlined his country's "Look North" foreign policy:
The Korean embassy in Fiji notes that "on the international arena such as the United Nations, Fiji has always provided support for Korea, confirming their solidarity and friendship." [8]
In June 2009, the Fiji Democracy and Freedom Movement, an organisation founded in Australia to campaign for the restoration of democracy in Fiji, protested outside the South Korean embassy in Canberra, asking South Korea to "withdraw support for the military regime". [9]
Fiji also maintains diplomatic relations with North Korea. Fiji first recognised North Korea in 1975, then suspended relations in 1987 "as part of the collective action of the international community" against North Korea's terrorist bombing of Korean Air Flight 858. Relations resumed in 2002 within the scope of Fiji's "Look North" policy of greater engagement with Asia. In 2012, Fiji became the first Pacific Island country to open a consulate in North Korea. [10] [11]
In May 2014, Fijian President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau visited Seoul. [12]
There are approximately 1,000 Korean residents in Fiji. [8]
Trade remains on a low level; in 2011, by November, Korean exports into Fiji were worth about €13.5 million, while Fiji exports to South Korea were worth €11.5 million. [13] Nonetheless, the previous month, the two countries had held "their first ever business forum" to promote enhanced trade relations. Fiji exports mainly sugar and textiles to Korea. [14]
An inaugural Fiji-Korea Business Forum and Catalog Exhibition was held in Suva in October 2011, at the initiative of the Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency, of Investment Fiji, and of the South Korean Embassy in Fiji. Its aim was to encourage Korean investment in Fiji, and trade between the two countries. [15]
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KOICA(Korea International Cooperation Agency) Fiji Office has re-opened on the 8th September 2016 as an implementing organization of grant aid and technical cooperation. KOICA Fiji Office looks after 12 South Pacific countries including Kiribati, Nauru, Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu. And the three priority sectors for PICs are Sustainable Development against Climate Change(Green Islands), Natural Disasters Management(Safe Islands) and Health and Water Sanitation(Healthy Islands). The schemes that KOICA conducts are as follows:
Fiji has experienced many coups recently, in 1987, 2000, and 2006. Fiji has been suspended various times from the Commonwealth of Nations, a grouping of mostly former British colonies. It was readmitted to the Commonwealth in December 2001, following the parliamentary election held to restore democracy in September that year, and has been suspended again because of the 2006 coup, but has been readmitted a second time after the 2014 election. Other Pacific Island governments have generally been sympathetic to Fiji's internal political problems and have declined to take public positions.
The government of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) conducts its own foreign relations. Since independence in 1986, the FSM has established diplomatic relations with 92 countries, including all of its Pacific neighbors.
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), has full diplomatic relations with 180 out of the other 192 United Nations member states, Cook Islands, Niue and the State of Palestine. As of 2024, China has had the most diplomatic missions of any state.
From 1916 to 1975, Tuvalu was part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony of the United Kingdom. A referendum was held in 1974 to determine whether the Gilbert Islands and Ellice Islands should each have their own administration. As a consequence of the referendum, the separate British colonies of Kiribati and Tuvalu were formed. Tuvalu became fully independent as a sovereign state within the Commonwealth on 1 October 1978. On 5 September 2000, Tuvalu became the 189th member of the United Nations.
Brigadier-General RatuEpeli Nailatikau, is a Fijian chief who was President of Fiji from 2009 to 2015. He has had a long career in the Military, diplomatic service, and government. From 2001 to 2006 he served as Speaker of the House of Representatives – the lower and more powerful chamber of the Fijian Parliament. He was also the chairman of the Parliamentary Appropriations Committee and of the House Committee. On 8 January 2007, he was appointed the interim Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade; he was moved to the post of interim Minister for Provincial Development and Multi-Ethnic Affairs in September 2008. In October 2008, he became Indigenous Affairs Minister "and effectively Great Council of Chiefs chairman". On 17 April 2009, he was appointed Vice-President by the military government.
South Korean–Taiwan relations
Oceania is, to the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China, a stage for continuous diplomatic competition. The PRC dictates that no state can have diplomatic relations with both the PRC and the ROC. As of 2024, eleven states in Oceania have diplomatic relations with the PRC, and three have diplomatic relations with the ROC. These numbers fluctuate as Pacific Island nations re-evaluate their foreign policies, and occasionally shift diplomatic recognition between Beijing and Taipei. The issue of which "Chinese" government to recognize has become a central theme in the elections of numerous Pacific island nations, and has led to several votes of no-confidence.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Fiji:
Kazakhstan–South Korea relations are the international relations between Kazakhstan and the South Korea.
The Republic of the Fiji Islands was the first Pacific Island country to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, in 1975. China established an embassy in Fiji in 1976, and Fiji opened its embassy in China in 2001.
The Korea International Cooperation Agency was established in 1991 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea as a governmental organization for Official Development Assistance (ODA). KOICA's goal is to enhance the effectiveness of South Korea's grant aid programs for developing countries by implementing the government's grant aid and technical cooperation programs. KOICA is led by three-year-term president of the board who is appointed by the President upon the recommendation of Foreign Minister.
Brazil–South Korea relations are the diplomatic relations between the Federative Republic of Brazil and the Republic of Korea. Both nations are members of the G20 and the United Nations.
The Korea–Australia Free Trade Agreement (KAFTA) is a bilateral agreement seeking to reduce trade and investment barriers between Australia and South Korea. The agreement, which came into effect on the 12th of December 2014 provides Australian goods exporters, service providers and investors with significantly improved access to the South Korean market. The trade agreement stems from decades of bilateral relations, encompassing security, trade and diplomatic ties from 1962, when then President Park Chung-Hee introduced a series of five-year plans designed to spur globalisation efforts and industrial development in Korea following the end of the Korean War.
South Korean–Turkish relations are the foreign relations between South Korea and Turkey. The Turkish embassy is in Seoul, while the South Korean embassy in Ankara and a consulate-general in Istanbul. Both countries are members of the G20.
India and Kiribati established diplomatic relations in 1985. The High Commission of India in Suva, Fiji is concurrently accredited to Kiribati. Kiribati maintains an Honorary Consulate in New Delhi.
India–Federated States of Micronesia relations are the international relations that exist between the Republic of India and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). The Embassy of India in Manila, Philippines is concurrently accredited to FSM.
Cook Islands–India relations are the bilateral relations between the Cook Islands and India.
South Korea-Uzbekistan relations are the international relations between South Korea and Uzbekistan.
Myanmar–South Korea relations are the bilateral relations between the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and the Republic of Korea. The two countries established their diplomatic relations on 16 May 1975.
South Korea and the countries that comprise Africa have a history of political, economic, militaristic, social, and cultural relations with one another since South Korea's establishment.
The Republic of Korea established the diplomatic relationship with the Republic of the Fiji islands on 30 January 1971, right after Fiji's independence, and confirming Korea's recognition of Fiji as a sovereign state on the 11th of October 1970.
Fiji is to open a new embassy in South Korea next year, sending an ambassador from Suva to Seoul. The new embassy is expected to open in the first half of 2012 to foster trade and investment between Korea and the archipelago about 2,000 km northeast of New Zealand.
Export items from the country include textiles and sugar, while agriculture and tourism form large parts of the economy.
The first Fiji-Korea Business Forum and Catalog Exhibition will be held at Holiday Inn, Suva, on Thursday October 27. The forum and exhibition is co-organised by the Korea Trade Investment Promotion Agency, Korean Embassy in Fiji and Investment Fiji.
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