P.M. pledges support for South Korea’s Integrity’

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34132, 20 April 1976, Page 18

P.M. pledges support for South Korea’s Integrity’

(N.Z.P.A. Staff Correspondent)

SEOUL, April 18.

New Zealand would support the continued integrity of South Korea and there was no chance of the New Zealand Government’s voting for the admission of North Korea to the United Nations while the South stayed out, the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) said in a television interview watched by millions of Koreans today.

“We believe the integrity and the existence of South Korea resulted from the United Nations initiative originally, and that the United Nations has a duty to support and protect the continuing integrity of South Korea.” Mr Muldoon told a leading South Korean television commentator, David Pong. The interview was filmed in Wellington before Mr Muldoon left on his present tour and was shown throughout the country by the Tongyang Television Corporation, one of South Korea’s biggest private television networks. North Korea is gaining increasing support in the United Nations and South Korea’s allies are concerned there might be moves later this year to admit the North to the world body. The North Koreans are demanding the dissolution of the United Nations command in South Korea — of which New Zealand is a member — which was set up to administer the armistice which ended the Korean War. and the withdrawal of all foreign troops.

This is one of the questions Mr Muldoon will discuss with Korean leaders during his visit. World peace Asked about the presence of the more than 40,000 United States troops in South Korea, Mr Muldoon told Mr Pong, who came to Seoul as a 17-year-old refugee from the North, that he believed the role of New Zealand troops in the Korean War was in the ultimate interest of world peace. “We know and we understand the threat under which the Republic of Korea had to live during the whole of that time,” the Primo Minister said. “So, as far as we are concerned, we certainly support any activities which will keep that threat from turning into further conflict.” ‘Front line’ The English-language "Korea Times,” in an editorial on Mr Muldoon’s visit, said South Korea placed great significance on his seeing the "front line,” because it “may give him the opportunity for an on-the-spot confirmation of the ever-increasing provocations

by the North Korean Communists across the Demilitarised Zone.” The editorial added: “His personal confirmation of the unceasing Communist hostility against the South mav help strengthen the New Zealanders’ support of Korean efforts to maintain peace and discourage the North Korean Communists in their plot to be associated with New Zealand.” Overtures This was an apparent reference to North Korean diplomatic overtures to New ’ Zealand in Peking, where the North Korean Ambassador called on the former Labour Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs (Mr Walding) on both his visits in 1973, and in Jakarta, where the North Koreans had meetings with the New Zealand Ambassador (Mr R. Jermyn). The Labour Government did not respond to these approaches, and it is clear the present Government also has no intention of recognising I North Korea in the foresee- ; able future, although about 40 countries recognise both the Seoul and Pyongyang Governments. : Mr Muldoon’s visit is re- ; ceiving extensive coverage

in Seoul’s Korean and English-language press, which have carried editorials, features on New Zealand-South Korean relations, and articles about the Prime Minister.