Canada-Korea special partnership strengthened by new bilateral agreements
January 10, 1997
Seoul, South Korea
On day two of their Team Canada 1997 mission to South Korea, Prime
Minister Jean Chrétien and Canada's First Ministers today
witnessed the signing of agreements on telecommunications and
social security during a meeting with Korean President Kim Young-sam.
Canada and Korea also agreed to begin market access negotiations
on telecommunications and related equipment to be concluded in
1997.
"Our Special Partnership has been a driving force behind
stronger Canada-Korea bilateral and economic relations,"
said the Prime Minister. "Today's announcements on telecommunications
bode well, as they will help further open the Korean market to
our products and enhance opportunities for Canadian and Korean
businesses."
The two new agreements are:
- a Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) to facilitate trade in
telecommunications, radio and information technology equipment,
which will ensure the mutual acceptance of each country's test
results for regulatory purposes. The MRA will facilitate the regulatory
approval of equipment and will allow exporters to complete testing
procedures in Canada. Canada will pursue the negotiations on market
access on the basis of reciprocity, transparency and non-discrimination.
- a Social Security Agreement which will ensure the continuity
of Canada Pension Plan coverage when a Canadian is posted to Korea
for up to five years. It also ensures that the employee and his
or her employer are exempt from contributing to the Korean social
security system during this period.
The Prime Minister also announced today that Radar Hill, Canada's
Pacific Rim National Park, will be renamed "Kap'yong Hill"
in recognition of Canada's military contribution to the United
Nation's intervention force to Korea (1950-1953). In particular,
it marks Canada's heroic efforts in the battle for Kap'yong Hill,
a significant engagement for Canadian forces during the Korean
conflict.
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