1. The Foreign Ministry held a meeting of heads of the diplomatic missions to multilateral organizations at its Permanent Mission to the UN in New York on December 5. The meeting chaired by Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul, the second of its kind following the one held in Seoul in April, marked the first of its kind to take place in New York, the center of multilateral diplomacy where the UN Secretariat is located.

* The meeting brought together the Second Vice Foreign Minister, the Director-General for International Organizations and the heads of ten diplomatic missions to multilateral organizations and/or their host countries.

2. The purpose of the meeting was to review the progress in the implementation of strategies for strengthening the ROK’s multilateral diplomatic capabilities pursued from this year; and to draw up a specific plan for achieving the mid- to long-term vision for multilateral diplomacy.

° The senior diplomats discussed the tangible achievements and challenges they have made and faced over the past eight months in implementing the “Mission Statement” on strengthening the ROK’s multilateral diplomatic capabilities drawn up at their meeting in Seoul in April.

° In addition, the high-level officials reviewed the ROK’s diplomatic achievements made amid the enhancement of its multilateral diplomatic standing as demonstrated by its non-permanent memberships in the UN Security Council in 1996-1997 and in 2013-2014; presidency of the UN General Assembly in 2001; and national serving as the UN Secretary-General since 2007 after its accession to the UN in 1991. They also explored ways and new fields to strengthen multilateral diplomacy in.

3. Vice Minister Cho noted with appreciation that the ROK played a significant role in the international community and greatly enhanced its international standing this year by assuming the UN Security Council presidency; the President attending such multilateral meetings as the UN General Assembly session, the G20 and the ASEM Summits, and the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting; and successfully hosting the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference in Busan. He asked the mission heads to make efforts to enhance the visibility and relevance of the ROK’s multilateral diplomacy in the international community by building upon the ROK’s unique experience of simultaneously achieving industrialization and democratization.

° In addition, the Vice Minister noted that as stipulated in the “Mission Statement” on strengthening the ROK’s multilateral diplomatic capabilities drawn up in April, the ROK should further expand its role as a facilitator, supporter and initiator in the international community and make tangible achievements as such. To that end, he added, the “blue ocean for multilateral diplomacy” should be sought out.

4. The mission heads had small-group meetings on disarmament and peace; human rights; and development and environment to discuss and exchange views on relevant matters of mutual concern. In their plenary session in the afternoon, the senior diplomats discussed ways for the ROK to play its own role different from other developed and developing countries in the UN’s three main areas of mission -- global governance; international peace and security; and human rights and development. Specifically, they discussed in depth the possibility of the missions seeking out their own specialty fields and setting a specific plan to that end as well as the post-2015 mid- to long-term strategy for multilateral diplomacy.

° In setting the UN development agenda in 2015, the ROK will play a bridging role between developed and developing countries. With regard to the UN efforts to build post-conflict peace, the country will contribute constructively by using its own experience.

° By combining its strong capability in education and nuclear energy, the ROK will extend more support to developing countries on nuclear education.

° The ROK will expand its role as a facilitator or supporter for increased cooperation between the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and emerging countries.

° The ROK will seek to make a success of the World Education Forum 2015 to take place in the country in May and to implement education via ICT.

° The ROK will seek to actively share with international organizations its experience of successful development, including through the Saemaul Undong (new community movement).

° The ROK will seek to become the host of regional offices of international organizations.

5. The meeting of the mission heads carries significance in that they reaffirmed the ROK’s vision to contribute actively to ushering in an era of happiness for the global community by helping establish global governance based on its intangible assets, such as the international community’s trust in and expectation of the ROK, as well as its unique experience in political and economic development; and in that they explored specific areas to contribute in. The Foreign Ministry will establish an action plan based on the outcome of the meeting and seek to make tangible achievements. 


                      Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

* unofficial translation