South Korea Current Issues

Ambassador Hill's Remarks on the Occasion of Busan American Corner One-Year Anniversary

Remarks by U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea
Christopher R. Hill
On the occasion of the
Busan American Corner One-Year Anniversary

February 23, 2005

IINTRODUCTION: Ambassador Hill will be talking about Busan and APEC in a world of globalization. Now, we will invite him to the stage. (Applause)

AMBASSADOR HILL: Well, thank you. Thank you very much. I tell you the longer that bio goes, the older I feel.

But, let me just say what a pleasure it is to come here and to have an opportunity to talk about something besides the Six-Party negotiations.

First of all, I want to thank all the people who've worked so hard to make this American Corner a success here. I want to especially thank you, Mr. Suh and Director Cho, for all the work that you've done. I know that these things don't just happen. It takes a lot of work, and generations of people, not only people working now, but people who were working a year ago. So I thank you all for all that you've done.

I also want to thank Dr. Don Washington and his staff for all they've done from the Public Affairs Section in Seoul. Dr. Washington's birthday, actually, was the day I was sworn in as the Ambassador to Seoul. I think perhaps he also has more than one year left here in Korea.

I think an American Corner in Busan is a particularly appropriate place because I think it fits into a larger pattern of our relationship. Busan is indeed a very special city that I think links our two countries. During the Korean War, many Americans were very much aware of what the "Busan Perimeter" was. So the word Busan, the City of Busan, is well known in America.

Today I took a tour of the Busan port, the world's fifth largest container port. I could see so many ships beginning to make their long journey to the United States; it had occurred to me that Busan is really the linking city between the United States and Korea.

And, of course, later this year, as we all know, Busan will be the host of the APEC senior meeting which our President will be attending along with 20 other heads of state. Busan will, in many respects, be at the center of the world in that month.

So I think it is very appropriate that we have an American Corner here - and an American Corner that is diverse and has so many different programs going on, so many efforts to use the American Corner as a way to link our two countries.

I know that it has accomplished a lot in its first year, but I also know that it can accomplish much more in the years to come, provided people take an interest in working on it and figure out what kinds of imaginative programming they can do, using the equipment that's there, and, overall, retain a sense of commitment that our two countries really stay close together in this very uncertain world.

This is indeed the year of Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation for Busan. I think this year will really symbolize the importance of Busan to Korea, but also the importance of Busan as the port which will eventually not only be a gateway for Korea, but also a key gateway for the rest of Northeast Asia.

Whether Busan is going to be able to realize that possibility will depend on the hard work of all of us to make sure the Pacific Ocean is not what divides us, but in fact what joins us. Through APEC and in Busan, we will try to create a greater sense of community in the Pacific-Asia region. And APEC will be a vehicle by which we bring the United States closer, by which we in fact make that Pacific Ocean much smaller.

In hosting APEC, I think it will bring forth the very positive, very competitive spirit of Korean people. That is, wanting to see Korea develop in its potential as a hub of Northeast Asia. The APEC meeting in Busan will help determine, really, the nature of that concept of the hub - whether it is the hub that reflects the nationalist concept of Korea, or much better yet, the international concept of Korea.

Of all the cities in Korea, I think that Busan understands that, in fact, Korea must be outward looking and must develop an international personality. So, I don't want to put too much pressure on Busan, but I think this is really the year in which Busan will want to shine.

What can be accomplished during this APEC year? Well, I think it will really define Korea's international economic identity for many years to come.

This APEC meeting in Busan will be Korea's opportunity to create for Korea what advertisers all know as "brand identity." That is, you will be able to tell people and the rest of the world what it means to be Korean.

Our country, my country, has a special interest in making sure this APEC meeting is successful because APEC is what can help unite the United States, the Pacific and, even in some respects, the Asian countries.

I think the presence of the United States in this part of the Pacific is a force for stability and for insuring prosperity in this part of the world. We know our presence here will be defined by the good bilateral relations we have with many countries in this part of the world, but it will also be defined by our ability to create stronger multilateral frameworks that will enable us to stay and to help maintain peace and prosperity in this part of the world.

I think Busan really has an opportunity to do something very important, not only for Korea, not only for Asia, but for the entire Asian-Pacific area, including the United States.

So I hope, in a very small way, the American Corner can play a part in making sure that we continue to stay close, stay connected, stay in touch with each other and to listen to each other and understand each other.

So I want to congratulate, once again, all the people who've been involved with the American Corner and all the people who are involved in making Busan this real gateway to the Pacific region.

Thank you very much. (Applause)