MOFA-Diplomatic Corps Charity Concert
December 16, 2014

Good evening. Time flies! As you may remember, it was just this time last year when I revived the MOFA-Diplomatic Corps Charity Concert after a hibernation of several years.

To be frank, at the time I wasn’t quite sure about it. But thanks to your enthusiastic support last year, I have been motivated not just to carry it on, but to make it even more fabulous.

So when I see this great turn-out today, I think we’re already half-way there in making today’s occasion a big success.

Now, let’s think about this, why did time go so quickly this year? Well, maybe because 2014 is the year of the horse - so it ran full gallop, as fast as it could. But joking aside, I think everyone would agree this was really a year full of events and challenges.

For me, the diplomatic year began with my visit to the United States in early January, and is closing with last week’s Korea-ASEAN summit, next week’s visit to the Middle East, and the Indian Foreign Minister’s visit toward the end of the month. Overall, this year I had about 120 Foreign Ministers’ meetings, and my President had more than thirty Summit meetings.

So this is a new kind of Korean diplomacy in action - Korea and the countries you represent are most probably closer than ever before. And Koreans are happy with this - our people are giving high scores to Korean diplomacy. But half the credit should go to you, members of the diplomatic corps. After all, I was made busy by you, and vice versa, you were made busy by me!

So now is the time we should celebrate together, especially because this is the end of the year. The Korean style is to drink soju or the “bomb drink” - but of course, as a peace-loving diplomat, I steer clear of that. My drink of choice is wine - but which wine? This is actually a tricky diplomatic head ache. American? French? Australian? Chilean? This is why I am glad the diplomatic corps challenged Team MOFA to celebrate with a song contest, instead of drinking.

In today’s program, we have a good mixture of traditional songs, pop songs, and Korean songs. I was especially pleased to see that the Diplomats’ Choir will sing the beautiful Korean song ‘그리운 금강산.’ Last year, when President Park made a speech in Dresden on reunification, many Koreans in the audience almost burst into tears. 

And the other Korean song the Choir will sing, ‘One Fine Day in December’ - in Korea this is a song for weddings and very much loved by young people. I hope the Diplomats’ Choir will do many wonders and surprises tonight. After all, both diplomacy and music are all about harmony. 

Dear friends and colleagues,

In three days time, I will visit Za’atari Syrian refugee camp in Jordan. I am planning to donate all the proceeds from today’s concert. So this charity concert is really a worthy event, and I hope it will be carried on as a tradition. Not only is this concert making us happy now, but for sure its outcome will give double or even triple the happiness to the refugees in need.

Last but not least, I wish each and every one of you all happiness in the New Year of the sheep - symbolizing peace.

On that note, I think Team MOFA is ready to take up the gauntlet thrown by the diplomatic corps today. Now, let’s make a song and dance about it!

Thank you.   /End/