§ 13. Mr. Gordon Prentice (Pendle)What steps have been taken to promote trade with North Korea since the establishment of diplomatic relations with that country. [145047]
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. John Battle)Recent developments in relations between South and North Korea are good news and, as part of our establishment of diplomatic relations, we are taking steps to promote trade relations with North Korea.
§ Mr. PrenticeIt is indeed good news that the so-called hermit kingdom is, after half a century, emerging into 799 the daylight. A North Korean delegation is coming to Westminster next week or the week after. My concern is that 20 million North Koreans exist on the edge of starvation—there are terrible famines there—and 2 million have already perished. We established diplomatic relations last month, but what can we do to follow that through by achieving improved trade relations and, in particular, by boosting North Korea's agricultural sectors so that it can feed its own people?
§ Mr. BattleTrade Partners UK, in consultation with the Korean business advisory group, is preparing detailed 800 advice for British business. That advice, which will be available from March this year, is expected to be regularly updated as our relationship develops and our understanding of North Korea improves.
It is important for us to join in the campaign to eradicate poverty, famine and hunger in North Korea. I shall be meeting the delegation that will arrive next week. We think that, for once, the policy—that, in particular, of Kim Dae Jung: the "sunshine policy"—to promote a thaw in relations with the north has been successful so far. We want to encourage it and see it develop further.