1. The ROK-UN High-level Consultation on Disarmament and Non-proliferation was held on January 14 in a virtual format between Ham Sang-wook, Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea (ROK), and Nakamitsu Izumi, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs.

2. In the consultation, both sides shared their assessments on the international disarmament and non-proliferation environment and prospects, and agreed to continue close cooperation between the ROK and the UN in ensuring the success of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference commemorating the 50^th anniversary of the Treaty’s entry into force, which is tentatively scheduled for August, with a view to strengthen the international disarmament and non-proliferation regime.

o In particular, Deputy Minister Ham stressed the ROK government’s efforts to achieve complete denuclearization and establish a permanent peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. High Representative Nakamitsu said that the UN will continue to support the ROK government’s efforts to promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

3. Meanwhile, recalling that the ROK is the champion of the Action 23 (Regional dialogue to build confidence on military matters) and the Action 38 (Establish a platform for youth engagement) of the UN Secretary-General’s Agenda for Disarmament, Deputy Minister Ham proposed several focal points for ROK-UN cooperation in disarmament and non-proliferation area such as supporting the UN’s confidence-building projects in the field of conventional arms and holding the ROK-UN Joint Youth Forum.

o Previously, the ROK led the drafting of the UN Resolution on Youth, Disarmament and Non-proliferation adopted for the first time at the 74th session of the UN General Assembly in 2019.

o High Representative Nakamitsu commended the ROK government for its active contribution to the UN, especially in the area of disarmament and non-proliferation, and expressed the UN’s expectations on expanding cooperation in various fields.

4. The ROK government will further enhance the ROK’s contribution and standing in the international community and promote peace on the Korean Peninsula by continuing to strengthen cooperation with the UN in disarmament and non-proliferation area. In this regard, the ROK government will fully commit to the success of the ROK-UN Joint Conference on Disarmament and Non-proliferation Issues which marks the 20th anniversary this year.

* The ROK-UN Joint Conference on Disarmament and Non-proliferation Issues was first held in the form of international workshop in 2001 to mark the 10^th anniversary of the ROK’s accession to the UN. Since 2002, it has developed into a representative annual meeting on disarmament and non-proliferation issues in the Asia-Pacific, which brings together disarmament and non-proliferation experts from various fields, including governments, international organizations, academia, and research institutes, at the end of every year to discuss key disarmament and non-proliferation issues for the year.