Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	SEOUL, REPUBLIC OF KOREA, 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	09/08/83 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	AT A BANQUET HOSTED BY HIS 
			EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT CHUN DOO 
			HWAN IN SEOUL, 




Your Excellency, Madam Lee Soon-Ja, His Excellency the Prime Minister,
Madam Kim Insook, Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.

On behalf of my wife and my delegation, I would like to thank you,
Mr. President, the Government and the people of the Republic of Korea for
the warm and friendly welcome that has been extended to us. I also take
this opportunity to convey to you, the warm greetings and best wishes, of
Their Majesties the Yang Di Pertuan Agong and the Raja Permaisuri Agong,
whom you so graciously received during their state visit to your Republic
in March this year.

2. I thank you most sincerely for the kind words you have just expressed
about me. I am grateful to have this opportunity to renew my acquaintance
with you, Mr.

President, and to further acquaint myself with your country, which is one
of the most economically successful nations in the world today. I hope, in
the course of this visit, I shall be able to learn and profit from the
Korean experience which has contributed to the progress and prosperity of
the Republic of Korea.

3. The friendly and cordial relations between our two countries are based
on shared ideals and aspirations, and common interests. As developing
nations, we are preoccupied with development efforts to raise the standard
of living and improve the quality of life of our peoples. We have both
experienced colonialism, albeit in different forms, and thus highly value
freedom and independence. We share similar views on many regional and
international issues. While we may not place equal emphasis on each and
every one of them, we share the same concern about peace and stability in
the world. It is, therefore, very heartening to me that our two countries
have cooperated very closely and constructively both at Governmental and
non-governmental levels. This will be further enhanced with the growing
understanding that we are now promoting.

4. As you know we have introduced the "Look East Policy" for Malaysia, by
which we learn from the experiences of the countries in the East that has
achieved success such as the Republic of Korea and Japan. I am convinced
that, with proper adaptations, taking into account the different
circumstances in Malaysia, we could adopt and apply the methods and
approaches that you have used so successfully in your economic and
industrial development. There is no doubt to my mind that it is the Korean
attitude towards work, their loyalty and discipline that have contributed
to the economic miracle of the Republic of Korea.

5. It is a great pleasure for me to express our gratitude for the support
that your Government and the Korean private sector have given to the
training programmes for our workers and students in the Republic of
Korea. I understand, Mr. President, that you yourself have taken a deep
personal interest in seeing to the successful implementation of these
programmes. I would like to clarify however that the "Look East
Policy" was not formulated in order that eastern countries like the
Republic of Korea should extend aid to Malaysia. It was meant for
Malaysians to better themselves through learning from the example of the
eastern countries. Nevertheless we are gratified that your country and
your industrialists have taken a keen interest in our policy and are
helping to ensure our success. Your personal interest in this area is very
much appreciated by the Malaysian Government and people.

Mr. President, 

6. You will agree with me that international trade today is faced with
numerous obstacles. Protectionism is rife, and the cry for more protection
by industrialists and politicians from the developed countries can be
heard almost daily. The developing countries quite naturally look upon
this trend with despair and hopelessness especially when there appears to
be a deep-seated reluctance on the part of the industrialised countries to
ameliorate the unhealthy situation that the world finds itself in. Leaders
of the developed countries piously call for more free trade, but at the
same time they devise new restrictions -- including quotas, tariffs, high
interest rates and exorbitant freight charges in order to stifle imports
into their countries. How can the developing countries import from them if
they are not able to earn foreign exchange through exports to developed
countries? How can the developing countries earn from their commodities if
prices are depressed and manipulated through markets in and under the
control of developed countries? The North South dialogue, UNCTAD and other
conferences that have been held have been futile, to say the least. The
terms of trade have only sparked off acrimonious charges and
counter-charges between the two sides. Now the developed countries have
blamed the newly industrialising countries for their present economic
predicament. It is for this reason that I have called for more cooperation
and expanded trade among the developing may develop and strengthen
ourselves. By using each others products and raw materials we can reduce
our dependence on the developed economies. In the process we will become
more developed and our wealth and strength will ensure a strong bargaining
posture vis-a-vis the developed countries.

7. In this regard I have also suggested that the newly industrialised
countries, of which the Republic of Korea is among the most prominent, to
relocate their labour-intensive and low-technology industries on a
joint-venture basis in the less developed countries, and concentrate more
on the high value-added and high technology industries. In so doing we
should be better able to compete in the world market by utilising the
abundant resources, both in terms of raw materials and manpower, of the
South. Malaysia is in a most advantageous position to take in such
industries and manufacturing concerns from the Republic of Korea. Korean
investments in Malaysia must result in increased earning for Korea through
the export of experties and plants.

Mr. President, 

8. The world today is not only gripped by economic malaise but is also
assailed by continued political tensions which divert and saps our
energy. In the Southeast Asian region, Vietnam continues its illegal
occupation of Kampuchea, ignoring the numerous calls by the international
community for the withdrawal of her troops. The continued Vietnamese
military occupation of Kampuchea constitutes a serious threat to the
security and stability of Southeast Asia through big power interference in
our regional affairs and impeding the early realisation of a Zone of
Peace, Freedom and Neutrality or ZOPFAN in Southeast Asia. We in ASEAN
have persisted and will continue to persist in our quest for the total
withdrawal of all foreign troops from Kampuchea, and recognition of the
rights of the Kampuchean people to self-determination free from outside
interference, and in accordance with the Declaration of the International
Conference on Kampuchea and other relevant UN resolutions.

9. In West Asia, we see more oppression. The Palestinians are as far away
from their cherished dream of an independent state of their own due to the
arrogant attitude of the Israelis who defy world opinion and continue the
occupation of Arab lands which they had seiged by force of arms. If is
ironical that the people who should most understand the meaning of human
oppression and sufferings should now be so callous and insensitive to the
sufferings they themselves inflict on others. The world cannot just stand
by and watch. The Palestinians are a people with as much right as other
people. We must rally to their aid or tomorrow we will suffer the same
fate and no one will care. Malaysia was greatly honoured to host the Asian
Regional Conference on Palestine as an expression of our strong support
for the restitution of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people,
including the right to an independent state of their own under the
leadership of the PLO. The Kuala Lumpur Conference has succeeded in coming
out with a practical plan of action for a fair and just solution to this
problem. The Republic of Korea's participation and positive contribution
to the Conference deliberations was highly appreciated by Malaysia and all
the participants.

10. A similar fate today is being experienced by Afghanistan. It is
unthinkable that in Afghanistan we have a situation where the latest and
most destructive Soviet weapon technology is pitted against an
ill-equipped force that has barely emerged from the conditions of the 19th
century. What has sustained the Afghan freedom fighters against the
occupying foreign forces is solely their proud tradition and indomitable
spirit. The international community's call for the withdrawal of foreign
forces from Afghanistan continues to fall on deaf ears, but efforts must
continue to be made to seek a solution that would return the control of
the land to the Afghans themselves. We must reflect on the unconscionable
manner in which some powerful countries promote their interests at the
expense of their weak neighbours.

11. The Republic of Korea had also suffered in the past through occupation
and through destruction wrought by war. It is to the credit of the Korean
people that you have risen from the ruins to build a better and modern
country. Malaysia is cognizant of the existing tensions in the Peninsula
in particular, and in the region in general. These tensions should be
removed as soon as possible through peaceful negotiations. We have made
our position known that efforts should continue to be promoted to reach an
amicable settlement that would ensure the stability and security of the
Peninsula and peace for the Korean people. The Korean people must decide
this for themselves wihthout undue interference from any other
quarters. It is our hope that the years ahead would see a lessening of
these tensions and eventually their total elimination.

12. Of late, there has been growing international interest in the
continent of Antarctica, the last unsettled frontier of mankind. Malaysia
firmly believes that Antarctica should be made the heritage of mankind and
should continue forever to be used for peaceful purposes and not be made
the object of international rivalry and discord. The day will come when
modern technology will be able to exploit the abundant natural resources
of Antarctica and Malaysia would like to see that these resources are
equitably shared and should benefit both rich and poor nations alike.

Mr. President, 

13. We have had very fruitful discussions with you, with your Prime
Minister and your officials. You have shown complete understanding of
Malaysia's desire to move ahead and to proceed towards a more progressive
and secure future for our nation and people. The assistance which the
Republic of Korea has given to us in our pursuit of modernisation and
development is highly welcomed and appreciated by the Malaysian people. I
am looking forward to see for myself the fruits of your endeavours and
diligence. I hope to be able to persuade the captains of your industries
to start thinking seriously about moving some of their plants to Malaysia
where their own and Korea's interests will be served as much as Malaysia's
and its people.

Mr. President, 

14. I would like to end my remarks by thanking you and Madam Lee Soon-Ja
for the great honour you have done us in hosting this exquisite dinner
tonight. The care you have shown for our visit to your country attests to
the growing bonds of friendship between the Republic of Korea and Malaysia
and of our two peoples and augurs well for closer cooperation in the
future.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, 

15. May I now invite you to join me in a toast to the continued good
health of the President of the Republic of Korea and Madam Lee Soon-Ja, to
the continued prosperity and well-being of the Government and people of
the Republic of Korea and to the everlasting friendship between the
Republic of Korea and Malaysia.