Taipei-Seoul ties are expected to strengthen under the government of newly elected South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, said a national policy adviser yesterday, dismissing suggestions that Seoul's relationship with Beijing could prove a sticking point.
"Relations between Taiwan and South Korea will become better and better," said national policy adviser Lee Tsai-fang (李在方).
Lee, an instrumental figure in boosting Taipei-Seoul ties within President Chen Shui-bian's (陳水扁) administration, joined Roh's inauguration ceremony last week with DPP Secretary-General Chang Chun-hsiung (張俊雄) despite China's objections.
Lee said the visit to Seoul -- including meetings with ministerial-level officials from Roh's government and parliamentary leaders from the ruling and opposition parties -- signified better bilateral ties between Taiwan and South Korea.
"The South Koreans were friendly to us, otherwise they would not have bothered to change their original itinerary in order to meet with us," Lee said.
Prior to Roh forming his new government late last month, Taipei had initiated a series of good-will gestures in the hope of extracting an amiable response from Seoul.
In mid-January, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Taiwan would grant 14-day visa-free entry privileges to citizens of South Korea from Jan. 25.
The ministry last week also announced that Taipei has agreed to extend the exchange of charter flights between the two countries for another three months until the end of May.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Eugene Chien (簡又新) has said the reopening of charter flights between the two sides -- which began last December -- is a "friendly gesture." The move has been viewed by observers as paving the way for the resumption of regular air links.
When asked if the charter flights are expected to aid negotiations over the resumption of regular air links, Lee said, "The talks so far have improved our mutual understanding and we've agreed in principle on the direction the agreement should follow."
"Future relations between Taipei and Seoul can only improve and develop and we'll accelerate bilateral agreements in various areas," he added.
But not everyone agreed with Lee.
"Given South Korea's deferential and almost submissive attitude to China, Seoul will deem everything related to Taiwan as secondary. It would not want to run the risk of irritating China," DPP lawmaker Parris Chang (張旭成) said.
Chang said Roh's government is expected to follow in the footsteps of the previous administration and use Beijing to help open up nuclear disarmament talks with North Korea.
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