SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) – Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly on Wednesday appointed Ian McKay as Canada’s special envoy to the Indo-Pacific, according to a news release issued on the same day and updated by Global Affairs Canada. It added that Canadian policy in the region would include increased cooperation with South Korea and Japan.

The role of the special envoy is to “advise the Government of Canada and work with Canada’s network of diplomatic missions in the Indo-Pacific to coordinate a whole-of-government approach and to advance the strategic implementation of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy,” the statement said .

Following the announcement, a spokesman for Canadian diplomacy told The Voice of America (VOA): “The Indo-Pacific is home to four nuclear-armed states, China, India, North Korea and Pakistan. The region’s peace and prosperity are threatened by instability on the Korean peninsula due to North Korean provocations.”

“The region’s stability directly impacts the security and prosperity of Canadians. Canada will invest in increasing military presence, intelligence and cybersecurity to promote security in the region and keep Canadians safe. Canada will use its peace and security agenda and security partnerships to build regional capacity and promote stability,” he added.

Regarding Ottawa-Seoul relations, the spokesman told VOA that “Canada has much to offer these democratic partners beyond Canada’s longstanding and firm security commitments on and around the Korean Peninsula.”

“Canada will open up new opportunities for security cooperation, including through the negotiation of the General Agreement on Information Security with Japan and, in the future, the Republic of Korea on critical minerals, hydrogen and clean energy, which will position Canada as a responsible and reliable partner for energy security.”

McKay is currently Canada’s ambassador to Tokyo and will continue in that role, the statement said. In the past he has held key positions in finance, politics and economic development. In particular, he played a key role in Canada’s negotiations for the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, designed to bring Canadian companies together in the region.

xb@yna.co.kr

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