1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s Human Development Report Office, the UNDP Seoul Policy Centre, and Korea University, held a local launch event of the 2023-24 Human Development Report at Lotte Hotel on Thursday, May 23.

2. The Human Development Report, published by the UNDP since 1990, has redefined the concept of development from economic growth to a human-centered social development. It estimates and presents the Human Development Index (HDI) by analyzing each country’s gross national income (GNI) per capita, life expectancy, and years of education.

3. The 2023-24 Human Development Report, titled “Breaking the Gridlock: Reimagining Cooperation in a Polarized World,” was released in New York on March 13 and officially introduced in Korea at the event.

4. While the Global Human Development Index is expected to rebound post-COVID-19 and reach a record high in 2023, the report highlights that the human development gap between developed and developing countries has widened, emphasizing the importance of multilateralism and development cooperation to reduce polarization.

5. In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Kweon Ki-hwan welcomed the 2023-24 Human Development Report for providing insightful strategies to address the crises we face, including uneven development, growing inequalities, and escalating political polarization. He emphasized that crucial elements for human development, such as agency of individual actors and international cooperation, are reflected in Korea’s own development journey. He also highlighted that the Korean government will make active contributions to the international community as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2024-25.

6. Pedro Conceição, Director of UNDP’s Human Development Report Office and lead author, expressed concern that political polarization is fueling inward-turning policy approaches. He emphasized the need for united action to tackle the climate crisis and to establish regulations on artificial intelligence (AI).

7. The event was attended by more than 80 participants from diplomatic missions in Korea, international organizations, public organizations, academia, and the private sector. It included in-depth discussions on the main themes of the Human Development Report 2023-24, as well as a closed-door consultation with Korean experts on the direction of the next report.

8. The Korean government has been sponsoring the Human Development Report since 2019 as part of its efforts to strengthen cooperation with the UNDP, a lead agency in the UN development system. Korea will continue to strengthen the Korea-UNDP strategic partnership.