1. The 75^th Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) was held under the theme “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality” in Bangkok, Thailand, from May 27 to 31.

※ Overview of the 75^th Session of the UN ESCAP

- Theme: Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality

- Participants: delegates from 53 Member States and 9 Associate Members (Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Lee Tae-ho led a delegation of the Republic of Korea to the meeting)

2. At the Ministerial Segment, the UN ESCAP Member States shared the view that in order to address deepening inequalities in the Asia-Pacific region, it is necessary to continue to pursue policies for enhancing inclusiveness and to strengthen international cooperation in the region, including sharing each country’s exemplary cases.

o Vice Minister Lee, stressing the need to overcome inequalities in the Asia-Pacific region, introduced the ROK’s strategy for building an inclusive nation as well as the New Southern Policy. He also requested the international community’s interest and support to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula.

3. At the 75^th Session of the UN ESCAP, Resolution “Strengthening regional cooperation to tackle air pollution challenges in Asia and the Pacific,” tabled by the ROK, was adopted by consensus, establishing the foundation for expanding cooperation on air pollution, including fine dust, among countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

- It has also laid the groundwork for putting into full gear the North-East Asia Clean Air Partnership (NEACAP), launched in October 2018, within this year.

4. At the 75^th Session, the ROK was elected to the Governing Council of the United Nations Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (UN SIAP), one of ESCAP’s regional institutions, for the fifth time in a row.

o The ROK, as a member of the Governing Council of the UN SIAP, will participate more actively in programs to build statistical capacity in the Asia-Pacific region, and contribute to the region’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

5. On the occasion of the 75^th Session of the UN ESCAP, Vice Minister Lee had a bilateral meeting with Executive Secretary of the UN ESCAP Armida Alisjahbana. In the meeting, Vice Minister Lee discussed ways to increase strategic cooperation between the ROK and the UN ESCAP, and asked the Executive Secretary to pay more attention to helping more Koreans working for the Secretariat of the UN ESCAP.

* unofficial translation