1. Director-General for International Organizations Chung Byung-ha hosted a regional consultation on the 2020 Review of the United Nations Peacebuilding Architecture for the first time in the Asia-Pacific region since the Review process was initiated. The consultation was held at 09:00-11:00, June 10, in a video format. Participants from the foreign ministries of 14 countries and officials of the UN Secretariat discussed ways to support UN peacebuilding operations amid the COVID-19 situation as well as experiences of the Asia and Pacific region.  

° The consultation brought together as panelists director-general-level officials of the Peacebuilding Support Office and the Development Coordination Office of the UN as well as experts of such think tanks as United Nations University.

2. Director-General Chung mentioned that the COVID-19 situation is in a way limiting the UN’s peacebuilding operations, but also serving as an opportunity to promote all-out discussions and activities on new threats, such as infectious diseases, poverty and climate change, in the peacebuilding process. He added that, in order to respond effectively to such threats, it is necessary to comprehensively consider regional conflict dynamics, nexus between peace and development, and democratic and transparent governance guaranteeing civic participation.

3. The participants in the consultation, sharing Director-General Chung’s view, noted with appreciation that the meeting had served as a very timely opportunity to shed light on and discuss new threats that hamper peace and safety in the Asia-Pacific region based on regional experiences and perspectives. They went on to voice hope that there would be more opportunities to discuss ways for Asia and the Pacific to contribute to the UN’s activities.

4. The Republic of Korea, with the aim to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2024-2025, has been continuing to lead activities in the UN’s peace and security pillar, including by working as a member of the UN Peacebuilding Commission and hosting the 2021 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial. As part of such efforts, the ROK hosted the consultation today to have regional experiences and perspectives reflected in the “Review of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture” that the UN has been working on since this year.

5. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will circulate the outcome document of the consultation and officially submit it to the UN Secretariat, and it will lead discussions and activities in a timely manner regarding the UN’s peace and security agenda on various regional and multilateral occasions.