Speaker Chung Opens New Year for N.A. Secretariat

Speaker Chung Ui-hwa attended a ceremony on Jan. 2 to celebrate the start of the New Year at the Main Hall of the National Assembly where some 500 employees of the National Assembly Secretariat, the Library, and the Budget Policy Office, and the Legislative Inspection Office, among others, were present.

Speaker Chung in his New Year’s address at the ceremony, said this year marks the 70th anniversary of the National Liberation from the yoke of the Japanese colonial rule and the division of Korea into South and North and the National Assembly should play a key role on the historic way to the unified Republic of Korea looking at the North with a futuristic consideration. If we would keep such attitude, the National Assembly would leave a great achievement for this year marking the 70th anniversary year for the national liberation and the division.

President Xi Promises Speaker Chung China to Play Constructive Role in Denuclearization of Korean Peninsula

The Chinese head of state said Korea and China should expand exchanges in politics, trade, culture and people with next year being 70th anniversary of independence for both countries

During his official visit to Beijing, Speaker of the National Assembly Chung Ui-hwa paid a visit to President Xi Jinping on Dec. 18 at the Great Hall of the People. They talked about solidifying friendship, strengthening economic cooperation between Korea and China, peace in Northeast Asia, Speaker Chung’s office said.

Speaker Chung said the bilateral relationship between two neighboring nations should be boosted to a friendship regiment from the strategic cooperative companionship. The speaker said President Park Geun-hye and President have been able to bring the relationship between the two countries to a mature stage, giving real benefits to both parties as strategic cooperative companions. He expressed hope that Korea-China ties could go step further and become a “Korea-China friendship regiment” with the end of the Japanese Occupation facing the 70th anniversary.

Speaker Chung, who went to China on the invitation of Chairman Zhang Dejiang of the National People’s Congress, said there is a need for expanded exchanges of meetings between the leaders of the two countries’ parliaments. Exhibitions and other cultural exchanges are also important for both countries, and they have to be expanded.

There are also incidences in the histories of the two countries that require apologies from each party. There are opportunities to forgive each other and for peace in Northeast Asia, such as the establishment of a Korea-China and Japan orchestra to hold concerts in those countries every year.

President Xi said Speaker Chung came to China at the right time leading his entourage, adding that he heard the speaker had a very good meeting with Chairman Zhang Dejiang of NPC and the parliaments of the two countries should increase exchanges with each other so they can understand and cooperate better in the days ahead. Xi said China-Korea relations have been sound and growing every year in such sectors as legislatures, parties, government and regions, “and other areas for exchanges so that we can expand joint understanding and trust in the days ahead,” he said.

Xi added that the exchanges in people and cultural activities can reflect the ties between the two countries, and proposed that the exchange of 10 million people from both countries visiting each other’s country be realized next year, the 70th anniversary for the regaining independence for China. The Chinese Chief Executive said the exchange of political leaders from both countries is very important as he is for diverse cooperative projects between the legislatures of the two countries, noting that Speaker Chung’s visit to China has been significant in that they were able to build systematic exchanges for legislative leaders of the countries, spurring exchanges between the National Assembly and NPC in China as the political leaders visits to each other’s country are very important in cementing ties between the nations.

If North Korea accepts preconditions for resumption of the Six Party Talks, Speaker Chung said those talks would open as early as possible. Xi said China is ready as always to play a constructive role in denuclearization the Korean Peninsula and for peace in Northeast Asia.

Chung noted that next year is a crucial year for Korea and China and Chairman Zhang Dejiang agreed that the legislatures in both Korea and China declare a joint statement on peace in Northeast Asia and the reunification of the Korean Peninsula. In order to restore normal relations between the South and North, a parliamentary meeting between the two divided Koreas may be helpful, Chung said. To push the matter forward, Chung said he plans to meet with North Korea’s Kim Young-nam and he hoped that President Xi would pay great attention to the matter.

Xi recalled that during the last century, both Korea and China shared the same experiences of having been invaded by foreign countries and holding the same political view that they should never forget their past. But at the same time, he said they should look to the future, being careful history does not repeat itself, and endeavor to have a permanent peace regimn settled in their region. He said he fully agrees with what Speaker Chung and Chairman Zhang agreed to do next year in the name of the 70th anniversary of the two countries’ independence. (by Chung Sook Oh)