Seoul seeks rightful place in world

By Endy M. Bayuni

SEOUL (JP): Hosting the third Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) this week could not have come at a better time for South Korea.

The country, newly invigorated by the impressive rapid recovery after the 1997-98 economic crisis, is now ready to reclaim its rightful place in world politics commensurable with its economic prowess.

That confidence is reflected among government officials preparing for the ASEM 2000 summit on Friday and Saturday, although it is not necessarily shared by the entire nation.

There are some underlying problems for sure but South Korea's strong economic figures also underscore that official optimism. And the infamous traffic congestion in Seoul's wide streets -- lined mostly with South Korean built cars -- is another indication of a budding economy.

And of course, there is the fact that President Kim Dae- jung, the host of the summit, has just been named winner of this year's Nobel Peace Prize for his initiatives to make peace with North Korea.

ASEM officials have had to make some last minute revisions to the draft of the various texts and documents of the summit in recognition of the unexpected but thoroughly deserved Nobel prize.

But long before the Nobel prize announcement, South Korea had already planned several of its own initiatives to make its mark in the Asia-Europe diplomacy through this week's meeting.

They include the trans-Eurasian information network project, closing the digital divide and the alleviation of the adverse impacts of globalization. The summit is also expected to endorse the long-term vision and aims of ASEM.

President Kim is also expected to brief the nine Asian leaders, 15 European leaders and the European Commissioner about the June historical summit he had held with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.

President Kim Dae-jung will be seeking for an endorsement of the ongoing rapprochement and cooperation between the South and North from the ASEM leaders through the adoption of the Seoul Declaration for Peace on the Korean Peninsula.

"The ASEM Summit is an invaluable opportunity for us to contribute to the strengthening of inter-regional cooperation between Asia and Europe, as well as to enhance the world's appreciation of the positive changes taking place on the Korean peninsula," foreign minister Lee Joung-binn told a group of Asian and European journalists on Tuesday.

The ASEM 2000 would enhance South Korea's international status and credibility and enlarge its role in the world economy, according to officials of the foreign ministry.

Such optimism apparently is not shared by all South Koreans, many of whom, according to various recently published consumer surveys, feel a sense of gloom about the prospects of the country's economic recovery.

Some are even talking about a second economic crisis just around the corner.

The strong economic figures -- 8 percent gross domestic product growth and 2 percent inflation this year -- conceals the pessimism which is best reflected by the 40 percent slump in Seoul's stock exchange index.

Other reasons for feeling less than optimistic is the rising world prices of oil and the fall in the prices of semiconductors, one of Korea's main exports. Various political scandals surrounding the administration is not helping the situation at all.

President Kim's popularity may be rising abroad with the Nobel prize, but at home he has been losing support.

Critics have even accused him of being insensitive to public aspirations.

"The President should practice the virtue of listening to public opinion," JoongAng Ilbo wrote in a recent editorial piece.

"Kim Dae Jung's government has advocated reforms and instituted some but its credibility is low because more attention has been given to spin," one of Korea's leading newspaper said.

The Nobel prize and the prestige of hosting the ASEM summit may win him back some lost support but President Kim will need to do more than that to instill confidence among his people.

The writer is a managing editor at The Jakarta Post.