The First APEC Summit Meeting

President Roh Moo-hyun put emphasis on international joint efforts to eradicate terrorism at the first summit meeting of the 2004 12th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting held in a convention center in Santiago, Chile on the afternoon of November 20 (local time).

President Roh made his position through the designated discussion under the subject of anti-terrorism and security issues by saying, “It is indispensable to control the movement of people and freight due to anti-terrorism activities. However, we can reinforce security measures by avoiding a contraction of economic activities if we utilize information technologies very well.”

President Roh made an example by saying, “We can utilize “a system of prior examination of passenger information” as a preliminary information inspection by previously providing an arrival country with a list of passengers who move to another country by plane. Korea will fully implement this system starting from December.”

The APEC summit meeting will finish its two-day schedule after adopting a joint statement, “One Community, Our Future” on the afternoon of November 21.

The text of the joint declaration will include recommendations of accession to all anti-terrorism-related universal conventions to member countries, interception of terrorists’ access to international financial systems, approval of the APEC action plan for improving anti-corruption and transparency, and support for the rapid WTO accession of Vietnam and the Russian Federation.

Meanwhile, according to the Russian official news agency, Itar-tass, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer raised the topic of economic sanctions against North Korea at the APEC Foreign Ministers’ meeting on November 19 by saying, “North Korea is now rejecting full cooperation with other participating countries at the six-way talks. We should not leave North Korea as it is without any sanctions.”

Jung-Hun Kim Ki-Hyun Kim jnghn@donga.com kimkihy@donga.com