The Republic of Korea and Canada Joint Leader’s Statement: Stronger Together
The President of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada met on Friday in Ottawa to celebrate and strengthen their vibrant friendship, which is shown in the depth and diversity of their ties.
On the ROK-Canada diplomatic relationship in 2023 60th anniversary eve, they acknowledged that their friendship is special, forged together through people-to-people ties, global commerce, the rules-based international order, and a mutual commitment to multilateralism and war. And it is sustained by a shared spirit of creativity, innovativeness and entrepreneurship.
For a long time, ROK and Canada have been like-minded partners on matters of stability and peace. Canada stood with the Republic of Korea through the Korean War, defending its people and also the international order they were building, made real in the United Nations.
Since then, they have been working jointly to protect as well as strengthen security, democracy, and human rights, inclusive of the rights of girls and women in the region and around the world.
President Yeol explained the ROK’s Audacious Initiative, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin expressed his solid support for President Yeol’s efforts to achieve a denuclearized, prosperous and peaceful Korean Peninsula.
The people of both countries have also built strong ties. Many Canadians and Koreans work, live and study across their borders, creating vibrant families, businesses and communities, becoming an important part of their cultural fabric and making their friendship stronger.
Their long friendship, highlighted by the Canadian embassy established in 1973 in Korea and the Korean embassy established in Canada in 1965, was reinforced recently when they established the Canada-ROK Strategic Partnership and afterwards signed the “Cana-ROK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and Science, Technology, and Innovation (ST&I) Cooperation Agreement.”
These agreements have played a significant part in our lasting friendship, facilitating collaboration between our most innovative researchers, entrepreneurs and scientists and increasing trade and economic prosperity for both countries.
Now more than ever, Canadians, Canada-Koreans and the ROK are ready to modernize their bilateral relationship and to advance via joint action the values they share.
Prime minister Justin accepted a sincere invitation by President Yeol to visit the ROK. Upon the 60th anniversary, this occasion promises to mark another leap in bilateral relations.
