1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, in its capacity as the MIKTA Chair of the year 2025, hosted a MIKTA Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) virtually on Tuesday, April 22. During the meeting, Korea presented its key priorities for the chairmanship and discussed with fellow member countries the direction of MIKTA’s activities for 2025.

※ MIKTA is a cross-regional consultative group launched in September 2013 during the 68th session of the UN General Assembly and comprises Mexico, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Türkiye and Australia. Korea is serving as its 12th Chair from February 2025 to February 2026.

※ SOM participants:

Mexico: Ms. Catalina López Portillo Alcocer, Director General for Policy Planning and G20

Indonesia: Mr. Tri Purnajaya, Director General for Economic Development and Environment

Türkiye: Ms. Aylin Sekizkök, Director General for Multilateral Economic Affairs

Australia: Ms. Angela Robinson, First Assistant Secretary for Multilateral Policy and Human Rights

2. Mr. Kweon Ki-hwan, Deputy Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, chaired the meeting. He expressed concern over the weakening multilateral cooperation amid escalating geopolitical tensions and increasingly complex global challenges. He emphasized that it is important to restore multilateralism and for MIKTA to play a vital role in that effort, with this year marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.

3. He further noted that MIKTA, which has  served as a bridge between developed and developing countries, is well-positioned to promote cooperation on issues of common interest in today’s increasingly divided international community.

4. Deputy Minister Kweon introduced Korea’s priority agenda items for its 2025 chairmanship -- peacebuilding, youth engagement, and accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

5. He explained that diverse experiences of MIKTA members in conflict prevention and post-conflict recovery could contribute meaningfully to peacebuilding. Noting the role of youth as key actors in seeking future-oriented and inclusive solutions to global challenges, he stressed the importance of their participation in the decision-making process. He added that  cross-regional cooperation is necessary for achieving the SDGs, proposing that MIKTA members, as influential middle powers of their regions, work together toward this common goal.

6. Deputy Minister Kweon also shared Korea’s annual activity plan, asking MIKTA to issue joint statements at major international conferences as it did so at the meeting of the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women this year, and to engage in robust outreach activities through their overseas missions. He invited suggestions from member states on potential new areas for MIKTA cooperation.

7. MIKTA representatives welcomed Korea’s priority agenda and annual activity plan, expressing confidence that they would contribute to strengthening meaningful MIKTA cooperation. They voiced hope that MIKTA, with its diverse regional composition, will continue to play a leading role in addressing common global challenges.

8. The first MIKTA SOM held under Korea’s 2025 chairmanship is seen to have served as an opportunity to reaffirm MIKTA’s importance as a cross-regional platform and the commitment of the member states to deepen cooperation based on the vision and plan presented by Korea.