1. Deputy Minister for Economic Affairs Yun Kang-hyeon of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs led a delegation of the Republic of Korea to the Second Asian and Pacific Energy Forum (APEF), hosted by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in Bangkok, Thailand, from April 3 to 5.

※ The forum brought together about 300 people from 32 countries, including around 15 ministers and vice ministers.

2. At the forum, UNESCAP member states adopted the Ministerial Declaration, calling for “cooperation for energy transition towards sustainable and resilient societies in Asia and the Pacific.”

※ The Asian and Pacific Energy Forum is a ministerial-level meeting which takes place every five years to strengthen energy security and promote sustainable energy use in the Asia-Pacific. The first forum was held in Vladivostok from May 27 to 30, 2013.

※ ESCAP member states: 62 countries (53 members and 9 associate members)

o They also reviewed the progress over the past five years (2014-2018) in the implementation of the Plan of Action, adopted at the first forum, and discussed the latest accomplishments and challenges.

3. In the country statement, Deputy Minister Yun said that the ROK government is implementing an energy transition policy which aims to shift away from the current energy mix in a gradual and step-by-step manner and to increase the share of renewable energy to 20 percent by 2030. He also stressed the importance of regional energy connectivity, and proposed the “New Northern Policy” and the “New Southern Policy” as visions for regional cooperation to promote it.

4. The forum served as an opportunity to take note of the efforts of the member states to achieve a sustainable energy future in the Asia-Pacific through energy transition, as well as progress in such efforts, and to discuss better ways for regional cooperation.

* unofficial translation