— Looking forward to strengthening Republic of Korea–UN cooperation for better shared future —

On October 23–24, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Jina attended the UN Day commemorative events held in Busan to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.

※ The UN General Assembly designated October 24 as “UN Day” to commemorate the entry into force of the UN Charter on October 24, 1945.

※ Overview of UN Day Commemorative Events (co-hosted by Busan Metropolitan City and UN Association of ROK)

- October 23 (Thursday): 80th UN Day commemorative dinner and celebration performances (Grand Josun Busan)

- October 24 (Friday): 80th UN Day ceremony (UN Memorial Cemetery in Korea, UNMCK) attended by around 300 guests, including members of diplomatic corps in Korea, representatives of institutions in Busan, military personnel and veterans organizations

On October 23 (Thursday), Vice Minister Kim, in her congratulatory remarks at the 80th UN Day commemorative dinner, commended the UN for its achievements over the past 80 years in many areas, including peacekeeping, the promotion of human rights, and sustainable development. She also emphasized that in the current era of the new polycrisis, the UN must continue to serve as the most inclusive and effective forum for global dialogue.

Vice Minister Kim also noted that the Republic of Korea has grown into a country that now holds simultaneous memberships in the UN’s three major organs — the Security Council, the Human Rights Council, and the Economic and Social Council. She went on to express the commitment of the Republic of Korea to contributing to global peace and solidarity as a responsible global power.

On October 24, Vice Minister Kim attended the 80th UN Day ceremony at the UNMCK. In her commemorative speech, she recalled that the United Nations was founded 80 years ago to overcome the devastation of war and promote international peace and shared prosperity. She paid tribute to the noble sacrifices of the UN veterans who fought during the Korean War in the name of humanity and solidarity to defend the freedom of the Korean Peninsula.

Vice Minister Kim also recalled that, at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, President Lee Jae Myung declared the restoration of democracy in the Republic of Korea and its vision as a responsible global power, and stated that establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula is the Republic of Korea’s responsibility to the international community. Vice Minister Kim further affirmed that the Korean government will realize the peace envisioned by the veterans and continue its journey toward global peace in partnership with the United Nations through the  “Exchange, Normalization, and Denuclearization” (END) initiative.

Busan Metropolitan City and the UN Association of the ROK, which held separate UN Day commemorative events in previous years, co-hosted this year’s events in celebration of the 80th anniversary of the UN’s founding. The Korean government will continue to strengthen its close cooperation with the UN and fulfill its responsible role in promoting global peace and prosperity.