Peace: Korea’s Most Valuable Export Product to the World

It has been announced that Korea has as of September 2010 become the 7^th largest exporter of goods and commodities globally - an achievement made possible by an unprecedented process of export production that began since the 1960’s. High-tech wireless telecommunications equipment, steel, semiconductors, ships, petrochemicals, automobiles, computers, construction, armament and textiles are but a few of the export products. Today, in many corners of the globe, these products generate an important domestic market impact, changing lives and expanding choices for local people as they try to integrate with a fast evolving international community. Largely through this exponential growth strategy, this Asian Tiger has spectacularly graduated itself from the scourges of extreme poverty to become a major economic force not only within the Asian region but globally, and it has consolidated its influence even more significantly with its ascension into the power ranks of the G-20, OECD (1996) and OECD/DAC (2009).

Mindful of experiences of its precarious past and impelled by the spirit of sharing in the external assistance received earlier on in the 1950s when high currents of hardship were low on the country, from the second half of the last decade, an inspired Korea joined hands with the international community in efforts to build a better society for mankind. (Note that during those difficult years, some of the major donors included the International Development Associations (IDA), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and bilateral agencies such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF) of Japan). Through several governmental initiatives aimed at spurring economic growth in countries grappling with poverty mostly in South and East Asia, Middle East, Eastern Europe, Oceanic, Africa and Latin America, much is being done to this effect (albeit slowly) since the late 1980s when the country took its first steps as a donor for international development cooperation. However, in pursuing this international development agenda, Korea has forgotten the most valuable and significant of all its major exports – peace. In fact, it could be the priceless of them all, yet also happens to be the most neglected though in abundant possession of it. What contribution would Korea’s new engagement with the developing world make if it is not laid on the solid foundation of peace? What difference would it bring to development efforts in which trillions of dollars have already been drained yet little achieved in concrete terms? How would its giving leverage and advance its status and higher climb up the ladder of wealthy nations?

Peace, as has been proven has an enormous value free capacity to generate sustainable growth. It could also be a potential source of power and influence to the supplying nation. Even though for most of its recorded history, Korea has trotted on a wobble ground, experiencing the tyranny of an oppressive Japanese colonial administration and suffering devastation from a North Korean invasion, the nation has opted for a peaceful approach even towards its most provocative enemy - North Korea. It is remarkable too that throughout this history of oppression and subjugation, the country has never in itself launched an armed attack against another nation suggesting the inherency of peace among the Korean people. Approaching developing countries with peace is significant because as it is commonly known, a good proportion of Overseas Development Assistance absorbers are also the countries in which in addition to resource deficiency and extreme poverty, civil instability, political manipulation, corruption and trans-border incertitude reign. They are the countries in which wealth is confined as an asset of a few, where elections are a rare civil event and even when held, results are not awaited. Yes, they are the countries in which a class or clan can wield power and control over the natural resource base, where gross financial impropriety goes unnoticed or unsanctioned, where an organ of the judiciary like police force can exercise non-prescribed powers with highhandedness yet go unpunished, in short where lawlessness and the human right record only leaves mouths ajar. There is little doubt therefore why the heavy downpour of development aid for over half a century has only produced results that are at best less commensurate to the input and at worse left some states worse off. Korea now has an important opportunity to make a difference by being different in that it can concentrate on building the solid foundation that is imperative for sustainable growth. For we know from the great Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza that peace is not simply an absence of war but a virtue,  a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence and justice. I add that it is the most critical condition for societal progress.

Exporting peace means proactively encouraging principles of sustainable development, promoting responsible citizenship and advocating transparent governance. It is about educating people and states through a didactic process that makes them develop the best of themselves and of their natural endowments. It means transforming opportunities into results by developing, for example sustainable ecological policies through effective environmental management. There is no denying that peace is the bedrock of development and progress. It creates an atmosphere conducive for production, creativity and capacity building. It helps citizens transcend their shallow expectations of nominal survival into a realistic pursuit of dreams for the advancement of themselves, their community and society. It means for Korea to make a difference, it must not only include peace but place it high on its export product profile. Let me consider some ways through which Korea can export peace and utilize to enhance economic growth.

By instituting truly free and fare conditions that guide trade and other exchanges. Korea should not follow the exploitative trade policies of other nations that only create oceanic disparities between the trading partners. In traditional aid and/or trade relations, advanced nations have often “taken advantage” of the lesser partner, undervaluing their resources, paying far less for labor and mesmerizing them with bogus claims of the importance of the product they bring to the trading table. Rather, Korea should pursue a policy in which the results of what is usually described as “mutual benefits” can be clearly discernible at all times. For this to occur, Korea needs to set an exemplary corporate conduct in all economic affairs. It needs to play a greater role in promoting values like transparent management, equity and accountability, which are by far the biggest barriers to the absorptive capacity of recipient nations. In relation, there is need to avoid conspiracy with the local elite and corrupt leaders that are often found siphoning aid money for their self aggrandizement. They get executive treats and reserve education sponsorship opportunities offered by the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to their families, friends or supporters while the most qualified candidates are left aloof.

Further related, there would be need to desist from “give and don’t care” attitude practiced by some donor governments, international agencies and corporate bodies. This does not mean attaching strings but simply taking additional measures to ensure both aid and benefits derived from economic cooperation are reaching the right targets and generating a measurable impact. Recent developments have shown that there are concerns about “string-filled” aid, which is one of the prominent characteristics of traditional aid mostly involving financial giving. However, a loose giving attitude would not be in the best interest of Korea. Some sought of control mechanism has to be established that acts in elucidating responsible absorption. A possible headway could be the greater involvement of Korean diplomatic missions and foreign Korean trained ambassadors. However, given the practical difficulty in realizing this, the form of assistance that would induce a significant impact would be that which align with the aid for trade strategy, which would also be one of the possible ways Korea would take more responsibility for its external engagements (I’ll dwell on more in one of my next posts).

Korea needs to develop a commitment in promoting what I refer to as the “soft power base of development”, which is ethical hard work and professionalism. Through the New Community Movement (Saemaul Undong) Campaign instituted to upgrade standards at the personal and communal levels, Koreans were able to achieve remarkable self and communal growth. Prior to this campaign, Korea had been in almost the same situation many developing countries now find themselves. The Saemaul Undong Center summarizes this in the following description:

Situations were worst in the rural area. Farming houses accounted for 70% of the national population, but most of them couldn’t afford to buy food. Young children had to give hands for farming instead of going to school, and yet, they did not have enough to eat. The gap between urban and rural areas kept broadening, so many people swarmed in cities, and it made the urban area very unstable. Korea couldn’t expect any progress of the nation. But national resources were not abundant and the government couldn’t take the responsibility of supporting rural communities. The only possible breakthrough was the awakening and participation of people.

From its inception and throughout, values like duty consciousness, self-sacrifice, self-reliance, diligence and cooperation were encouraged. One of the problems with poor countries is that by design or error, people are so alienated not only from the mainstream society but also from their environment. They are detached from political and civil life, largely resigned to themselves and shrouded in the silence of their individual daily struggles (for survival). Korea needs to reach out to developing countries with this spirit of awakening, encouraging active participation and local creativity (“can do” and “do it yourself spirit”) while stressing the functionality of efforts. They need to help in encouraging educational policies that target the real demands of contemporary society. This is how hope can begin to be reinstated.

Equally important, Korea increasingly needs to project itself and be identified in its role as an objective arbitrator in international conflicts. Well suited for this role partly due of its relatively less obscured record with interference internationally, Korea can now show stewardship in this domain by emphasizing peace and cooperation.

Accomplishing these could prove enormously challenging for Korea with regards to human and financial resources needed for implementation, but efforts would be worthwhile given that investing in peace is investing in sustainable growth. It means Korea would have to take more boldly the task of reforming its institutions, improving financial transparency and showing more levelheadedness in dealing with rival states, especially on sensitive topical issues. Gladly, prove of its capacity to overcome these can be drawn from its past record at changing and adapting to new realities. Korea’s generous invitation to five non G-20 member states (amongst which are Malawi, Ethiopia and Vietnam) and seven international organizations is a positive indication and testimony of its willingness to strategically share with the low income countries for international growth. With such policies, policies,  the developing world should be able to see Korea as a true partner committed to sustainable growth and peaceful coexistence. The 2018 Winter Olympics and 2022 FIFA World Cup that Korea now bids to host could also be exploited to this end if the bids are successful. If not, a host of other international Korean based events could still provide important avenues to pursue this goal.

Coming from Korea, efforts are likely to gain more attention and significance in the developing world for several reasons: Korea has transformed itself under the very eyes of the states with whom it suffered the scourges of poverty three score years ago and it is significant that millions of witnesses remain today to share first hand accounts of how Korea did it. Also brand images of Korea that find expression in concepts like ‘new’, ‘uncontaminated’ and ‘promising’ could prove encouraging to the developing world. They promise greater hope for a productive partnership and offer inspiration for a new and realistic beginning. Importantly, foreseeable of the future direction of global economic power, developing nations would naturally take pride in associating with an Asian country that bears a serious potential for the future. Exporting peace would breed the trust that would be necessary for the developing world to listen to the Korean story. It would also provide the most accommodating ground on which this story is told.

It is therefore time for Korea to assume the same combative exponential growth strategy applied in its economic development in aggressively manufacturing and supplying the world with its most symbolic product - peace. It is only peace that can reinvigorate the vision of a people and give them a greater common sense of purpose as a nation. It is the only basis under which low income countries that are also troubled by civil unrest will navigate through the canal of development. Former Nigerian President Olesegun Obasanjo captured this more succinctly a decade ago in his closing remarks as Chair of the G-77 Summit in Havana, Cuba. “Without peace and stability”, he said, “a society does not have any future to speak about.” Korea can choose to exploit this unique opportunity and lead efforts in this regard, exporting and distributing its unique product - peace in markets in the developing world with one unique exception: It would be free.

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Watch out for my next post “KOICA: Korea’s ODA Power Engine” and many more underway