FSM Information Services
Press Release
Her Excellency Cho Shin-hee, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Presents Her Credentials to President Panuelo
PALIKIR, Pohnpei—On January 22nd 2020 His Excellency David W. Panuelo, President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) received Her Excellency Cho Shin-hee, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea (ROK), who presented her credentials. After the Presentation of Credentials, the President and Ambassador met to discuss FSM-ROK relations.
“On behalf of [the Honorable Yosiwo P. George], Vice President of the FSM, and our Cabinet and citizens…we welcome you to our country, Ambassador,” President Panuelo began. “We are very happy that we continue to enjoy fruitful relationships between our two countries, both regionally and internationally. …We look forward to working with your Government in areas of cooperation such as Climate Change and regional issues through venues such as the Pacific Islands Forum.”
Both President Panuelo and Ambassador Cho spoke in depth about the importance of peace, and how demonstrating civility and respect are crucial to making progress that benefits all concerned parties. Ambassador Cho noted that the ROK Government is committed to peace, with the region and the World, and particularly with its family member and neighbor, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). It was advised that the family of His Excellency Moon Jae-in, the President of the ROK, was originally from the DPRK, and that this personal connection is one of a battery of reasons for why mediating tensions and promoting peace are so important to the ROK.
Citizens may recall that the DPRK was split from the ROK after philosophical differences on Nation-building devolved from respectful, and conversational, compromise to ideological and violent showmanship supported in part by invested foreign interests. The contemporary result in 2020, from the perspective of the FSM National Government, is that any political tension on the Korean peninsula is a security concern to the region and by extension the FSM and its citizens.
“We standby to support South Korea in every area of cooperation,” President Panuelo said. “You can be assured of our support, [Ambassador], because our defense ties are linked with the United States; as you know, we really hope for peace.”
The meeting ended on a positive note, with President Panuelo soliciting the Ambassador’s support to meet with the Honorable Kandhi Elieisar, Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs, and others to explore additional areas of FSM-ROK cooperation.
