주제네바 대한민국 대표부

7.2(금)에 개최된 제68차 UNCTAD 무역개발이사회(Trade and Development Board) 폐막 세션에서 우리나라의 아시아아프리카 그룹(그룹 A)에서 선진국 그룹(그룹 B)로의 지위변경이 가결되었습니다. 이로써 우리나라는 선진국 그룹의 32번째 국가가 되었으며, 우리나라는 1964년 UNCTAD 설립이래 개도국 그룹에서 선진국 그룹으로 지위를 변경하게 된 첫 사례가 되었습니다.

이태호 대사는 이번 회의에 참석하여 회원국들에게 감사를 표하고, 우리나라는 "무역은 경제발전의 중요한 수단"이라고 명시한 UNCTAD 설립문서 비전을 몸소 보여주는 사례이며, 앞으로 한국이 주요 공여국으로서 그룹 B 이동을 통해 UNCTAD내에서 더욱 적극 역할을 해나갈 것이라고 했습니다.

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첨부:  우리의 지위변경 전 그룹 현황

Statement by
Ambassador LEE Taeho of the Republic of Korea
68th Session of the Trade and Development Board
(Friday, 2 July 2021)
 

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Madam President,
Excellencies, distinguished colleagues,

On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Korea, I express my deep appreciation to all UNCTAD Members and all Groups for agreeing to Korea’s request to be included in Group B.  I appreciate in particular the warm wishes extended to Korea by Ambassador Hashmi of Pakistan on behalf of the Asia-Pacific Group, to which we have been a member until this day.   I also thank you, Madam President, for efficiently yet meticulously stewarding this process and the Secretariat for exercising its professionalism and expertise in the process.  It goes without saying that we are grateful to JUSSCANNZ members for their unfailing support. 

This is a historic milestone in Korea’s engagement in UNCTAD.  In the view of my delegation, it is also a real testament to UNCTAD’s dictum that “trade is an important instrument for economic development”  –  as no account of Korea today can be complete without reference to how trade propelled Korea’s development.
 
Joining Group B will allow Korea to be better and more effectively engaged in UNCTAD as a significant donor country.  Korea will not forget from whence it came. We intend to continue our existing development contributions within UNCTAD, so that more countries can harness the positive synergy between trade and development.

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Korea will seek to be a builder of bridges and will continue to do its best to serve others beyond its borders.  Korea’s decision to make 200 million dollars of financial and in-kind contributions to COVAX-AMC this year and next year is the latest example.

Once again, I thank all UNCTAD members and all Groups for the decision that was made today.   Thank you.