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]
History
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 RatuEpeli 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]
There are approximately 1,000 Korean residents in Fiji.[8]
Economic relations
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]
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:
Projects and DEEP: Comprehensive Projects and Development Experience Exchange Partnership Programs(DEEP) based on country partnership strategies
Multilateral Cooperation: Multilateral cooperation projects that addresses the limitation of bilateral assistance
Civil Society Partnership: Supports developing countries in partnership with CSOs, universities, etc.
Development Innovation Program: New partnership program with the private sector that combines partner's creative knowledge and development know-how and network
Fellowship Program(CIAT): Provides targeted training programs for human resource development
World Friends Korea: Dispatch volunteers as part of Korea's integrated overseas volunteers program
Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster relief: Program to render support to disaster relief and reconstruction efforts in affected countries and people by dispatching personnel, providing emergency relief supplies and fund
Global Disease Eradication Fund: Innovative financing for the eradication of global diseases to ensure health security
^"Political relations". ROK embassy in Fiji. Archived from the original on March 13, 2013. 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 to open embassy in South Korea". The Korea Herald. 11 December 2011. Archived from the original on 12 May 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2011. 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.
^"Fiji to open embassy in South Korea". The Korea Herald. 11 December 2011. Archived from the original on 12 May 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2011. Export items from the country include textiles and sugar, while agriculture and tourism form large parts of the economy.
^"Fiji-Korea business forum". Fiji Times. October 22, 2011. 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.
