1. The Republic of Korea was elected as the Chair of the Board of Advisors of International Trust Fund for Enhancing Human Security (ITF) at its 50th meeting held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on Tuesday, April 4. As the Chairman of the Advisory Board, Ham Sang Wook, the Ambassador to the Republic of Austria (also serving as the Ambassador to the Republic of Slovenia), presided over the ITF Advisory Board meeting held on Tuesday, April 4. He will serve as the Chairman for one year and coordinate the opinions of the member states.

* ITF is a non-profit organization established in 1998 by the Slovenian government to help clear land contaminated with landmines and it has expanded assistance to many other countries and territories, such as Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Central America, and South America.

- Korea has been supporting ITF since 2000, contributing approximately $380,000 in 2022 (with a cumulative contribution of $2.2 million).

2. Due to the unique security circumstances of the Korean Peninsula, Korea has not joined the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention. However, Korea has actively contributed to the reduction of humanitarian damage caused by the indiscriminate use of antipersonnel mines and has maintained a close cooperative relationship with ITF, including the visit of the Director of ITF to Korea in December last year to discuss ways to enhance cooperation between the two sides.

3. As this year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of ITF, Korea will further expand its involvement and contributions to ITF's core issues as the chair of its Board of Advisors, which plays a key role in demining and promoting human security including the removal of antipersonnel mines from the Balkans and the Middle East and the support to landmine victims. In addition, as a Global Pivotal State, Korea will further strengthen its global value diplomacy in terms of human security.

4. After the ITF Advisory Board meeting, Ambassador Ham, as the Chairman of the Advisory Board, attended the ITF 25th Anniversary Reception at the Presidential Palace hosted by Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar. Following President Pirc Musar's congratulatory speech, Ambassador Ham introduced Korea's contribution to ITF and stated in his congratulatory remarks that "As the Chairman of ITF, I will actively contribute to the humanitarian activities of ITF and make active efforts to further deepen and develop the friendship and cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Slovenia."