외교부

Remarks by H.E. Shin Kak-soo Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade
at the Luncheon hosted by
the UN Association of the Republic of Korea 
on UN Day 2009

23 October 2009
Seoul

Mr. Kim Seung-youn, President of the UN Association of Korea,
Mme. Asha-Rose Migiro, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
 

It is a great pleasure for me to join you today to commemorate the 64th anniversary of the founding
of the United Nations. I am particularly pleased to extend a warm welcome to Deputy Secretary-General
Madame Migiro who has spared her valuable time to be here with us today.
Her presence gives today’s ceremony a special meaning as it symbolizes close ties between the
United Nations and Korea. I am also grateful to President Kim Seung-youn and Vice President,
CEO Sun Joun-yung and the United Nations Association of the Republic of Korea (UNA-Korea) for
organizing this auspicious annual gathering.
 

Ladies and Gentlemen,
 

At a crossroads of global challenges, posed by the recent food, fuel, flu, financial and
 climate crises, United Nations Day carries a great significance for Korea and the global community.
 

For Korea, United Nations Day is a historic reminder of its special ties with the United Nations that
 date back to 1948 when the newly independent Korean government was established and recognized by
the UN. At the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, the UN forces came to preserve the freedom of the
Korean people. Thereon, Korea was able to fare through the ashes of the Korean War and successfully
 rebuild the nation into a vibrant economy and democracy.
 

For the world community, UN Day 2009 serves to underscore that “now is a time to put the
 ‘united’ back into the United Nations.” As Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed at the opening
of the 64th session of the UN General Assembly, “now is the beginning of a new era of engagement to
create a United Nations of genuine collective action.”
 

Ladies and Gentlemen,
 

Globalization and technological advancement underpin the need for closer global partnership.
The growing number of issues that challenge the peace and prosperity of the international community are
heightening the call for a global, collective response. With the vision of nations coming together to tackle the
 pressing challenges, I would like to briefly touch on renewed multilateralism and Korea’s role in that context.
 

Greater demands than ever are being placed on the United Nations for global governance.
From issues that find their ways in and out of international headlines to routine organizational matters,
the UN is at the forefront of multilateral efforts. Priority issues that span the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), nuclear disarmament, climate change and
gender issues require global leadership by this world body to deliver to real people in real time.
 

Having crossed the halfway mark to 2015, the target date for the MDGs, there still remain
formidable challenges. The recent diverse global crises of food, energy, finance and
climate change are compelling the most vulnerable bottom billion people to bear the
brunt of their dire consequences. As the lead development organization, the UN is uniquely placed to
reverse this lamentable trend.
 

It is very encouraging to see a fresh momentum in multilateral efforts to achieve a world without
nuclear weapons. In line with Secretary-General’s encouraging “five-point proposal for nuclear
disarmament,” the UN is working hard to expand a common understanding on this important issue.
 

Our future greatly depends on how effectively and urgently we can address climate change,
“the defining challenge of our time.” The Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change in December 2009
will be a culmination of international efforts to chart out a path toward an inclusive, fair and
comprehensive post-2012 climate regime. The UN must strive to create global commitment and
solidarity that are essential for a successful conclusion of the Copenhagen Conference.
 

Under the leadership of Deputy Secretary-General Madame Migiro, the UN has consolidated
 its efforts to strengthen the gender architecture within the framework of the system-wide coherence.
The global community is hopeful that this new “composite entity” will serve to intensify the multilateral
efforts to advance the rights and status of women.
 

Ladies and Gentlemen,
 

Let me now turn to Korea’s role in vitalizing multilateralism.
 

Today, Korea has risen to the ranks of an emerging middle power. Korea has tried to increase
its role commensurate with its growing capability in diverse global issues in a progressive manner.
With the new diplomatic vision of Global Korea espoused by the Lee Myung-bak Government,
Korea is now embarking on a path of making contributions toward a peaceful, prosperous and
progressive world.
 

In the recent G20 Summit Meeting held in Pittsburgh, Korea actively took part in the discussions on
 how to sustain global recovery and strengthen financial regulatory system aimed at
preventing future crises. As a host country for next year’s G20 Summit Meeting,
Korea will do its utmost to contribute to achieving a sustainable and balanced global growth
as well as to institutionalizing the G20 as a premier forum.
 

As a country with track record of fast economic development, Korea is eager to share its past
development experiences with developing countries to help them solve their economic and
social problems. To this end, Korea will keep its pledge to triple its
2008 Official Development Assistance (ODA) volume by 2015. 
 

Last year marked the 60th anniversary of UN Peacekeeping Operations (PKOs).
With an ever-increasing demand for the UN peacekeeping operations, Korea welcomes the UN’s
New Horizon Initiative aimed at strengthening peace operations in conflict-stricken regions.
Korea will continue to shoulder its multilateral responsibility to prevent conflicts and
promote international peace through its active participation in peacekeeping operations.
 

In a bid to join efforts toward a nuclear-free world, Korea will do its utmost to make
next year’s NPT Review Conference a turning point for the future of the NPT regime.
Moreover, the Nuclear Security Summit to be held next April prior to the NPT Review Conference will
serve to further strengthen nuclear non-proliferation and security of nuclear materials in the world.
Likewise, non-proliferation is a prerequisite for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. In line with
President Lee Myung-bak’s recent proposal, “grand bargain,” Korea is vigorously pursuing a nuclear-free
North Korea. The realistic way to resolve this thorny issue is that through the Six-Party Talks,
North Korea should carry out complete, verifiable, and irreversible dismantlement of its nuclear weapons
 program in return for security assurance and international assistance by other five parties.
 

Alongside multilateral climate change efforts, Korea plans to voluntarily establish its target
emissions cut by 2020 within this year while not a member of Annex I of the UN Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Furthermore, Korea has also proposed to establish a Registry of
Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) of developing countries at the UNFCCC.
Under a broad national vision of “low carbon green growth,” we are also making efforts to enact a
Framework Law on Green Growth and to establish a five-year green growth plan.
 

Ladies and Gentlemen,
 

Renewed multilateralism also resonates with this year’s “global citizens for the United Nations”
theme of World Federation of United Nations Association (WFUNA) Assembly held in Seoul
this past August. The theme is particularly relevant at such a challenging time. It no longer suffices for
the global citizens to be part of globalization. We look forward to WFUNA playing a leading role,
under the stewardship of the newly-elected President Park Soo-gil, in prodding the civil society to
ride on the tide of new multilateralism. In this connection, civil society organizations such as
UNA-Korea can play a pivotal role in giving fresh impetus to viable multilateralism.
.
The great source of inspiration for civil society comes from the peoples. It is people that make
change in this world. “People-centered,” “people-driven” engagement can better connect with people.
We do hope to see broader civil society participation in global issues and its partnership with
the United Nations and Member States of the UN.
 

On a final note, let me stress that on the occasion of UN Day 2009, Korea stands ready to play its
part to vitalize multilateralism. Now is also the time for all Member States of the UN to work together
to seal the deal in priority agenda. We do hope that the world community will generate cooperative
spirit to bring back the “united” into the United Nations.
 

I would like to close by saying that UN Day will continue to have a special place in the hearts and
minds of the Korean people as Korea works with the UN to renew multilateralism.
 

Thank you.