New Zealand Institute of International Affairs

Annual Foreign Policy Lecture

The Fifth Annual Foreign Policy Lecture:

North-East Asia - A Strategic Perspective

Given by Dr Han Seung-soo (speech)

Former Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea
& Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Speech Notes

Date: Monday 9 October 2006 at Rutherford House, Pipitea Campus, Victoria University of Wellington

Bio: Dr Han Seung-soo has had a long and distinguished academic, diplomatic and political career in the service of the Republic of Korea. He is a former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade (2001-2002), Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy (1996-97), Ambassador to the United States (1993-94), and Minister of Trade and Industry (1988-90).

Dr Han was President of the 56th Session of the United Nations General Assembly during 2001-2002, and had a leading role in managing the crisis facing the world organisation after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

Before entering politics Dr Han was Professor of Economics at Seoul University (1977-88). In 2004 he received an honorary knighthood (KBE).

Dr Han is in New Zealand to give the keynote address at a seminar on 10 October 2006 co-hosted by NZIIA and the Korea-New Zealand Business Council, that will focus on the political and economic aspects of the bilateral relationship and the shared interests the two countries have in Asia and the Asia-Pacific region.

All speeches are published in the NZIR.

• Speech Transcripts