1. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, who is in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum (WEF), also known as the Davos Forum, attended the “Korean night” event hosted by the Federation of Korean Industries on January 22. Following the delivery of a video message from President Park Geun-hye at the event, he gave a keynote speech entitled “Journey to One Korea, One Korea Night,” which covered the unification vision and policy of the government of the Republic of Korea with a focus on potential benefits of the unification to the international community.

2. Minister Yun commented that as the ROK marks the 70th anniversary of its liberation, as well as its division, he has a special sense of mission. He went on to point out that a unified Korea will be a herald of peace with no more nuclear weapons and no more long-range missiles; a booster of economic growth as a new growth engine; and a land of freedom and democracy, and a defender of human rights. In addition, he called Korea divided a geopolitical curse, but Korea unified a geopolitical blessing, which will lead the whole world to share a peace dividend and thereby be an enormous win-win for the entire global community.

◦ Minister Yun brought renewed attention to President Park Geun-hye’s address at the Davos Forum and in Dresden, Germany, in 2014: She presented the idea of the Korean unification as a “bonanza” for not only the Korean Peninsula but also the entire world at the Davos Forum and proposed key agendas for unification in Dresden. He went on to say that the speeches gave the world a re-awakening on the necessity and doability of unification, and that many world leaders from across the world have been rallying to the President’s call to bring down the barriers dividing the Korean Peninsula.

◦ With regard to concerns over the expected unification cost, the Minister stressed that the ROK has been paying an unjustifiably high price for the last 70 years: the humanitarian costs, including the agony of separated families; the abysmal human rights situation in North Korea; and the ever-growing tension and instability emanating from North Korea’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles. He added that as time goes by, the cost will only go up, making the division cost much higher than unification cost and not only Koreans, but the whole world eventually bear the burden.

◦ In terms of unification's specific benefits to the four neighboring countries of the Korean Peninsula, Minister Yun mentioned that the Korean unification will meet the expectations of the US to pursue a nuclear-weapons free world; remove a volatile source of instability at China’s doorstep and be a turning point for the development of northeastern China; create new markets and new growth engines for Japan; serve as a renewed impetus for developing the Russian Far East; and be the linchpin of a reconnected Eurasia.

◦ In order to achieve the unification of the Korean Peninsula, the Minister spoke of the need to remove the obstacles to building confidence and easing tensions in the Korean Peninsula, including by getting rid of North Korea’s “nukes”; build up inter-Korean rapprochement step-by-step through the three point agenda on North Korea set forth in the Dresden Declaration as well as concrete projects; and create the right international environment conducive to unification.

◦ In addition, he brought attention to the ROK government’s creative regional initiatives for the unification: the Northeast Asia Peace and Cooperation Initiative aimed to foster regional cooperation, starting with soft issues; and the Eurasia Initiative to link the energy and logistics infrastructure, connecting the Eurasian continent as one again.

◦ Bringing renewed attention to the fact that the ROK was born with the endorsement of the UN, Minister Yun noted that Korea's unification will realize the values espoused by the UN, adding that it is a reason why the ROK needs and wants the support of the global community, united in one voice. In that vein, he asked the global leaders at the Davos Forum to think what they can do for Korean unification matters.

◦ In closing, the Minister spoke of his dream that although he attended the “Korean night” event as Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea, one day, not in the distant future, one of his successors will represent a unified Korea at “Korea Night, One Korea Night.”

4. Minister Yun’s keynote speech at the “Korean night” event held under the theme of “a unified Korea and its infinite possibilities” came on the heels of the Foreign Ministry’s police briefing to the President for the year 2015. At the briefing, the Ministry vowed to make utmost efforts to contribute to the preparations for unification by creating a favorable international environment through “trustpolitik with the global community to usher in the unification era.” The speech, through its convincing explanation to global leaders of potential benefits of the Korean unification, helped enhance the international community’s interest and understanding and win broader international support in that regard.

* The “Korean night” event brought together some 400 political and economic leaders from across the world. 

* Full text of the Foreign Minister's keynote speech attached


               Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

* unofficial translation