Opening Remarks by H.E. Mr. Lee Taeho

Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs

At the opening session of the Seoul Conference on UN Peacekeeping

Seoul, December 3, 2018

General Carlos Loitey, UN Military Advisor of Peacekeeping Operations, Distinguished representatives of Governments and International Organizations & Institutes, Ambassadors and other members of the Diplomatic Corps in Korea, Excellences, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my honor and a great pleasure to declare hereby the opening of the Seoul Conference on UN Peacekeeping. I would like to extend a big welcome to all of you and especially to the distinguished guests who have traveled a long way to Seoul to attend this Conference during this busy time of year.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of UN peacekeeping. We are also celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Republic of Korea in UN Peacekeeping. We are meeting for this Conference in such a meaningful year.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Peacekeeping is the flagship activity of the United Nations. Over the past seven decades, the Blue Helmets offered hope for peace to the world’s most vulnerable peoples. And yet, it was with a heavy heart that in 2017 UN peacekeepers experienced a tragically high number of 139 fatalities.

Some critics say that the fatalities of peacekeepers are growing because of peacekeeping’s failure to adapt to changing security environments --- Partly true and partly untrue. Today, peacekeepers are dispatched to more complex environments than ever before. Today, peacekeepers are dispatched to places with little or no peace to keep. Today, peacekeepers are dispatched to the places where they become direct targets of armed groups or terrorists. Most importantly, today they are dispatched to the areas where they are mandated to operate beyond their capabilities. As we speak now, UN peacekeepers are shedding sweat, tears and blood to faithfully fulfill their duties all four corners of the world.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Despite growing criticisms, whether justified or not, much needed change has emerged this year. This march, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres launched the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative. The A4P initiative is powerful because it acknowledges that effective peacekeeping is a shared responsibility that requires stakeholders to work together.

The Security Council should focus on achievable mandates, troop contributors should deploy well-trained peacekeepers, and, most importantly, we should all push for political solutions to conflict.

It is indeed encouraging that the international community replied to the A4P initiative with strong political support. The next step we should take is to translate this political will into tangible action. This Conference can spur us from theoretical concepts to concrete actions.

As representatives from major contributing countries, international organizations, and academia, we can share peacekeeping experiences and make a difference for the future of peacekeeping. After two days of our discussions, I hope, we will take away some actionable ideas and insights as to how to implement the A4P initiative and how to guarantee effective peacekeeping.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As a country that experienced war and division in recent history, the Republic of Korea values peace. Since its admission to the United Nations in 1991, my country has continued to contribute to peacekeeping. In fact, at this very moment, some 650 Korean peacekeepers are working for peace in Lebanon and South Sudan.

Going forward, the Republic of Korea is keen to improve the effectiveness of peacekeeping. In July this year, my government deployed a mobile hospital in Mali in collaboration with the African Union. This hospital enhances peacekeeping capabilities in Africa and showcases my government’s investment in stronger and more effective peacekeeping.

The Republic of Korea is also committed to stepping up efforts for the Women, Peace and Security agenda in peacekeeping operations. We believe the protection and empowerment of women and girls is not only a goal in and of itself but also instrumental to establishing sustainable peace. This belief motivated my government’s “Action with Women and Peace” initiative, which we recently launched to protect and empower women and girls across the conflict cycle. We will also work with the African Union to promote women’s participation in AU peace operations.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Republic of Korea strives to realize the value of peace on the Korean peninsula, like it did for the international community. Achieving permanent peace in this land has always been one of the greatest aspirations of the Korean people. We now see our aspirations becoming closer to reality on the Korean Peninsula.

It all started with the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games. In a mere seven months, we experienced three Inter-Korean Summits, the first ever US-North Korea Summit, and the possibility of further engagement to keep this hard-won momentum going.

None of this would be possible without the international community’s support. Thank you all for the indispensable faith and encouragement you have all expressed along the way. As we continue to pursue the path towards complete denuclearization and the establishment of a permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula, I hope that the international community will continue to be with us and render its unwavering support.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am confident that the valuable insights you are to share throughout this Conference will contribute immensely to our common efforts to make peacekeeping forces stronger and more effective. I look forward to the great success of this Conference, and would like to offer you once again my warmest welcome.

Thank you.

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