열린장관실

Remarks by H.E. Ban Ki-moon,
Minister of Foreign Affairs & Trade
at Luncheon
in honour of the Participants
in the 13th Annual Meeting of the Korea-U.K. Forum for the Future

(March 4, 2005. Hotel Shilla)

The Honorable Lord Richard,
The Honorable Han Seung-soo,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen!

(Introduction)

It is a great honour and privilege for me to host this luncheon for such eminent figures as yourselves at this 13th Korea-U.K. Forum for the Future. In particular, I wish to extend the warmest welcomes to the U.K. members who have travelled so far to visit Korea on this meaningful occasion.  It is a good testament to the strength of the friendship between our two countries that the geographical distance between us has not stood in the way.

The holding of this 13th meeting is indeed timely, since we are redoubling our efforts to boost substantial relations between our two countries.  The topics for this forum are truly comprehensive.  They have been selected to reflect the whole range of key issues to consider, spanning our distinguished participants' areas of expertise.  I am confident that the opinion leaders at this forum will contribute to leading our two countries in the right direction.

I take this chance to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the Presidents and Chairmen of both sides for their dedicated efforts to  contribute to broadening the scope of our cooperation.  

Distinguished Guests!

(Bilateral Cooperation)

The friendship between Korea and the U.K. stretches far back, as much as 120 years.  And we have constantly built on this long history of cooperation, managing to maintain excellent ties.

 President Roh Moo-hyun's state visit to the U.K. last December marked a great milestone.  It served to cement our ties, infusing new vitality into an already strong friendship, thereby securing a bright future.  It also drew focus on potential areas for further cooperation.  Among these, cooperation in the fields of business, technology and science stand out.

Our two governments are working hard to implement the matters agreed upon between our two countries at the summit.  The task of translating them  into action is one that falls on our shoulders.  I have no doubt that, with the pragmatic vision embraced by our leadership for the future, our relations are set to flourish.

It is with great satisfaction that I note promising signs of deepening mutually beneficial relations in the economic arena, such as in trade and investment.  Moreover, the significant increase in people-to-people contact is nurturing a favorable environment for deeper mutual understanding and future cooperation between our countries.

Distinguished Guests!

(The Challenges Ahead)

There are a number of critical challenges ahead.  It is by working together, sharing wisdom and insights, that we will be able to turn these difficulties into valuable opportunities.  

The North Korean nuclear issue remains one of the most serious challenges to peace and prosperity in Korea and indeed the entire region. The recent disturbing statement by North Korea reminded us once again of the urgency of the need to address this problem.

The Korean government is exerting every diplomatic effort, in full cooperation with countries concerned, to resume the Six-Party Talks process as soon as possible so as to find a durable solution.  I look to the U.K. to continue to render its valuable support for our unswerving efforts to encourage North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons programs.

Korea is also undertaking endeavours to achieve its goal of emerging as a genuinely advanced OECD country.   The Korean government is therefore engaging in comprehensive reforms not only at the government level but also in the private sectors.  We are committed to upgrading the economy to international standards.  Korea's improvements in its economic environment will in turn help to bolster the strong ties of cooperation with the U.K.

 Moreover, we are witnessing growing interaction between us, with significant changes taking place in our respective regions holding greater relevance than ever before. The Asia-Europe Meeting has set an excellent example of inter-regional dialogue for greater collaboration. Furthermore, the U.K., as a vital player in the evolution of the EU, offers Korea invaluable and practical lessons.  Learning from good experiences of the U.K., Korea is much encouraged to develop itself into a truly advanced country and, more widely, to mould a prosperous and peaceful Northeast Asia.

In this respect, we need to intensify our efforts to further strengthen our partnership, not only for the benefit of our two peoples, but also for greater prosperity and stability in our respective regions.  Indeed, in these times of unprecedented interdependence and deepening globalization, a strong Korea-UK friendship will also benefit our respective neighbours.  

(Closing)

As we move forward to deal wisely with daunting challenges, I count on the insights and wisdom of the participants in this forum. I expect that this meeting will make a great contribution to enriching a future-oriented partnership, capitalizing on the potential for greater prosperity and cooperation in our relations.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

 May I now propose a toast to this Forum yielding tangible results, and the continued success and good health of all participants!  Thank you very much! /END/