1. Ambassador for Climate Change CHUNG Keeyong participated as Korea’s alternate head delegate in the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference, which was co-hosted by France and Costa Rica in Nice, France, from June 9 to 13. In his remarks at an official session and side events of the conference, Ambassador CHUNG explained Korea’s ocean-climate nexus policy and underscored its commitment to enhancing international cooperation in the field. Prior to the Ambassador’s remarks, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries KANG Do-Hyung, Korea’s head delegate, addressed the plenary session on June 10, announcing Korea’s bid to host the 4th UN Ocean Conference in 2028 in partnership with Chile.

※ The UN Ocean Conference is the largest global conference in the ocean sector, convened every three years to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 14 -- “Life Below Water.”

2. The conference, themed "Accelerating Action and Mobilizing All Actors to Conserve and Sustainably Use the Ocean," drew approximately 15,000 participants, including 75 heads of governments.

3. On June 10, Ambassador CHUNG took part in a high-level dialogue held to prepare for the second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2) to develop a legally binding international instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, scheduled for August. He also spoke at a side event on marine plastic pollution on June 11. On these occasions, he emphasized that it is important to close data gaps in order to establish science-based and effective policies, and that a balanced approach between scientific integrity and practical feasibility is crucial for a workable global plastics agreement.

4. On June 11, at a side event on the conservation and research of the Central Arctic Ocean, Ambassador CHUNG reaffirmed that the Arctic, high seas and the deep seabed, all of which are global commons, are interconnected, and so damage to any one of them could pose a significant threat to global balance. He emphasized that Korea, though a non-Arctic state, stands ready to act as a responsible and cooperative partner in Arctic affairs.

5. On June 12, Ambassador CHUNG participated as a panelist in an Ocean Action Panel session, one of the conference’s official sessions*. Contributing to the discussion** on “Ocean, Climate, and Biodiversity Interlinkages” he highlighted the interdependence of ocean and climate crises, advocating policies based on science, inclusive governance, sustainable ocean finance, and the expansion of nature-based solutions. He particularly called for conserving marine biodiversity and building a fair and inclusive ocean governance through increased cooperation with the Global South and island nations.

* The official sessions of the 3rd UN Ocean Conference included a plenary session where states made relevant commitments, and Ocean Action Panel sessions which focused on practical solutions.

** The topics of the 10 Ocean Action Panel sessions were as follows: ▴deep-sea ecosystems ▴scientific cooperation ▴finance ▴marine pollution ▴sustainable fisheries ▴ocean-based economy ▴ocean, climate and biodiversity interlinkages ▴regional cooperation ▴food security and ▴the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

6. On the sidelines of the conference, Ambassador CHUNG had bilateral meetings with △Annelies Verlinden, Belgium’s Minister of Justice, △Benedict Chia, Director-General for Climate Change at the Singaporean Prime Minister’s Office, and △Marshall Alferez, Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Ocean Affairs at the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs, among others. The discussions covered bilateral issues regarding marine environment, and global climate action.

7. Ambassador CHUNG emphasized that “an integrated approach linking ocean, climate and development is more critical than ever.” On that note, he reaffirmed Korea’s commitment to acting as a bridge between developed and developing nations and to shaping a more equitable and sustainable “Blue Future” through global cooperation.