Yoon, Trudeau agree to deepen partnership in critical minerals, youth exchanges

Diplomacy

Published: 17 May. 2023, 19:14 Updated: 17 May. 2023, 22:29

Yoon, Trudeau agree to deepen partnership in critical minerals, youth exchanges

Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, shakes hands with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ahead of their summit at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul Wednesday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called to strengthen cooperation on critical mineral supply chains, regional security issues and youth exchanges Wednesday.

"We agreed to build a stronger partnership with Canada over the next 60 years for a more peaceful, democratic, just and prosperous world," said Yoon in a joint press conference at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul following their bilateral summit.

Yoon pointed to the great potential for economic cooperation between the two countries in future industries such as semiconductors, batteries and artificial intelligence (AI) and in the clean energy sector, including nuclear power plants, natural gases and hydrogen.

The two leaders announced a new youth mobility arrangement, increasing the working holiday program annual quota to work and study in each other's countries from 4,000 to 12,000 people. They also eased age requirements and the cap on working hours.

The maximum age was increased from 30 to 35 years, and the maximum number of working hours per week was raised from 25 to 40 hours.

Trudeau said Yoon's "unequivocal leadership" on Ukraine and other global issues is "extremely welcome."

"We had excellent conversation today on a broad range of topics including the impact of authoritarian states like China, Russia, North Korea and others," Trudeau said. "We recognized, the both of us, that China is an important economic partner not just in the region but around the world, but we need to be clear-eyed about where we cooperate with China. […] We need to know where we are going to be competing with China on economic grounds, and where we need to challenge China on human rights on other issues."

Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, shakes hands with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a joint press conference after their bilateral summit at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul Wednesday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

Trudeau kicked off a three-day official visit to Korea on Tuesday to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

This marked the first visit by a Canadian prime minister to Seoul in nine years.

The two leaders released a joint statement entitled, "Stronger together for the next 60 years."

The statement called for sustainable growth and prosperity while strengthening the two countries' partnership on Korean Peninsula and regional issues, security, economy, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, science and technology and climate change.

The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cooperation in critical mineral supply chains, meant to further cooperation toward strengthening and securing supply chains for clean energy and critical minerals between the two countries. This will support the development of clean technologies to power sustainable economic growth, boosting the two countries' global competitiveness in areas including batteries and zero-emission vehicles.

Canada is known for minerals including lithium, cobalt and nickel, which are used to make batteries for electric vehicles (EVs).

In their statement, Korea and Canada recognized that achieving the shared priorities of protecting democratic values, security and prosperity requires the enhancing of cooperation on issues related to economic security, science, technology and innovation, climate resiliency and environmental stewardship.

Yoon and Trudeau condemned North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear programs and called on Pyongyang to "return to denuclearization talks as the sustainable way forward for long-lasting peace, security, and prosperity."

Trudeau reiterated Canada's support for Yoon's so-called "audacious initiative" to "achieve a denuclearized, peaceful, unified and prosperous Korean Peninsula."

This included an augmentation of Canada's naval presence and participation in joint efforts to monitor UN Security Council sanctions imposed against North Korea.

Trudeau further welcomed Yoon's "important and meaningful steps" toward improving Seoul-Tokyo relations recently.

The two leaders "condemned in the strongest possible terms Russia's illegal and unjustifiable full-scale invasion of Ukraine" and pledged to work closely together with the international community to respond to Moscow's "severe violations of international law and human rights."

They also repeated their commitment to "protect and defend Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity" and to provide the war-torn country with the political, security, economic and humanitarian assistance.

The two countries revealed their own Indo-Pacific strategic last year and confirmed that they "share a common vision for a more secure, free, prosperous, inclusive and sustainable region," and said they will engage actively at multilateral platforms likes the UN, G20, NATO and G7.

The two sides also agreed to deepen their bilateral security cooperation and increase information sharing and defense collaboration.

Trudeau welcomed the participation of several Korean local governments in the Canada-led Powering Past Coal Alliance to accelerate the phase out of coal-fired power stations and its cooperation with Canada on small modular reactor (SMR) and other clean technology solutions like carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS).

They also launched a two-plus-two high-level economic security dialogue.

Yoon hosted an official dinner for Trudeau later that evening.

The two leaders held their first summit on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Spain in June 2022.

Yoon made his first bilateral visit to Ottawa in September 2022, where the two countries agreed to upgrade their bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, based on shared priorities in the areas of values, security, prosperity, sustainability and beyond.

Earlier Wednesday, Trudeau became the first foreign leader to address Korea's National Assembly in six years since then-U.S. President Donald Trump's address in November 2017.

"Canada is ready to strengthen our partnership with friends like Korea on everything from critical minerals to high-tech innovation to clean energy solutions," Trudeau said.

"Korea is a leader in nuclear energy, and we're going to keep collaborating on this zero-emissions energy source," he said.

Trudeau noted that "stability in the Indo-Pacific and in the North-Pacific is essential to global stability," highlighting that through Canada's Indo-Pacific strategy revealed last fall, his country committed to increasing military engagement to mitigate threats to regional security.

Canada is also committed to the implementation of UN Security Council sanctions on Pyongyang and advancing the human rights situation in North Korea.

"Canada is committed to supporting the Republic of Korea's efforts towards a denuclearized, peaceful and prosperous Korean Peninsula," Trudeau said. "We will continue to call on North Korea to return to dialogue and diplomacy."

Recalling the Gwangju pro-democracy uprising of May 18, 1980, he said that true democracy will "always be stronger than authoritarianism."

South Korea and Canada must continue to "lead both on the world stage and at home," stressed Trudeau, calling for the two countries to "find solutions together as the best of friends."

Trudeau also visited the Seoul National Cemetery that morning and met with National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo.

On Thursday, Trudeau will head to the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, which will also be attended by Yoon, upon the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, and first lady Kim Keon-hee, left, gives a toast to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, center, at a dinner banquet at the Blue House in central Seoul Wednesday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]