Opening Remarks by H.E. Park Jin

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Indo-Pacific Regional Meeting of the Second Summit for Democracy

Opening Session / March 30, 2023

Your Excellency President Yoon Suk Yeol,

My fellow Ministers of the Indo Pacific region,

Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

It is my great pleasure to welcome you

to the Indo-Pacific regional meeting

of the second Summit for Democracy.

Korea is honored to co-host this historic event,

alongside Costa Rica, the Netherlands,

the United States, and Zambia.

Today, we have come together under a shared vision:

to strengthen the foundation of democracy

in our region and around the world.

Regrettably, in recent times, we have witnessed

a concerning retreat of democracy globally.

Now, more than ever,

we must reaffirm our commitment to democracy

and join forces to protect its enduring principles.

The Summit for Democracy offers

an invaluable platform to advance this critical mission.

Time and time again, history has shown

that democracy remains the most effective means

to freedom, peace and prosperity.

As former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stated,

“Democracy is not a guarantee of success,

but it is the most powerful and just means

for building well-functioning societies.”

Korea’s own path to democracy

stands as a living testament to this truth.

Our story exemplifies the boundless potential

that arises from embracing democratic ideals.

And the broader Indo-Pacific region,

with its cultural, political and economic diversity,

offers a wealth of experiences and insights

for promoting resilient democracies.

A critical lesson from our collective experience

is the need to remain vigilant

against threats to democracy, such as corruption.

Corruption undermines public trust,

compromises the integrity of our institutions,

and exacerbates inequality.

Most importantly, it impedes progress

toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Addressing this challenge

with determination and unity is our shared duty.

In this spirit, we, the Ministers of the Indo-Pacific region,

adopt the “Seoul Declaration on Challenges

and Progress in Addressing Corruption”.

The Seoul Declaration embodies our shared resolve

to prioritize the fight against corruption

and reaffirm our commitment

to the democratic values we cherish.

And as we delve into meaningful discussions today,

I hope we can inspire reflection

and share innovative approaches and best practices

to translate our commitments into action.

In closing, I trust that today’s meeting

will serve as a catalyst for greater cooperation

in advancing democracy

across the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

United in purpose and steadfast

in our commitment to democratic values,

let us embark on a journey

towards a brighter, more democratic future.

Thank you, and I wish you all

a productive and inspiring meeting.