열린장관실

Mr. President, Mr. Secretary-General and Distinguished Delegates,

 

I would first like to extend my sincere congratulations to you, Mr. President, on

assuming the Presidency of the 59th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.  I

have every confidence that you will meet with distinction the challenges of this most

eminent office.  I take this opportunity also to pay tribute to your predecessor H.E. Mr.

Julian Robert Hunte as well as Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

 

Mr. President,

 

The past year has been marked by a series of atrocious terrorist attacks.  The stark

reality is that no people or nation is safe from the specter of international terrorism.  

Through their cowardly acts, terrorists seek to generate chaos and fear, raining violence

upon the innocent, even children, as we so painfully and clearly witnessed in the recent

tragedy in Beslan, Russia.  On this occasion I extend my most sincere condolences to all

those affected by terrorist attacks around the world.

 

The Republic of Korea has been no exception in exposure to heinous terrorist attacks.  

In particular, we experienced, with deep sorrow and pain, the loss of a Korean victim of

such savagery in Iraq in June this year.  There is no justification whatsoever for such

brutality and cruel disregard for human life.  This inhuman act has only bolstered our

determination to rid the world of the dark cloud of terrorism.  The Republic of Korea

remains firm in its conviction that the international community must never give in to the

demands of terrorists.  

 

The fight against terrorism calls for unity in the international community with the

United Nations at the lead, as well as enhanced abilities in each individual member state to

combat terrorism.  We also look forward to more concrete measures emerging from the

work of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC).  

 

Mr. President,

 

Iraq still remains a most pressing security concern for the international

community.  The inauguration of an interim government and the transfer of sovereignty set

in motion the process of political transition toward a new era of democracy for the Iraqi

people.  The United Nations has a wealth of experience to offer Iraq in the process of its

political normalization and national rehabilitation.  However, the transition cannot proceed

smoothly without the restoration of order.  The assistance of the international community

to this end is vital.  

 

The Republic of Korea has been actively participating in the international efforts to

build a peaceful, democratic and prosperous Iraq.  We strongly believe that stability in

Iraq is vital for peace and security in the Middle East and beyond. Thus, in adherence with

Security Council Resolutions 1511 and 1546, we are in the process of dispatching 3,600

troops to the multinational forces in Iraq.  The aim of this dispatch is to assist the Iraqi

people's efforts for rehabilitation and reconstruction.  We have also pledged to contribute

260 million US dollars to this end, focusing on areas such as health, education, capacity

building, job creation, and electricity.

 

Mr. President,

 

Terrorism lends renewed urgency to our common endeavors to halt the proliferation of

weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their means of delivery.  In particular, the

revelations about a nuclear black market network in Asia this year have awakened the

international community to the danger of nuclear weapons falling into terrorist hands.  

Faced with this new kind of threat to nuclear nonproliferation, the international community

must work to close the loopholes in the existing nonproliferation regime.  Against this

backdrop, my government strongly supports Resolution 1540 on Non-Proliferation adopted

by the Security Council in April of this year.

 

The Republic of Korea has actively participated in the efforts of the international

community in the non-proliferation field.  In February this year, we became the 39th

country to ratify the Additional Protocol to the Safeguards Agreement.  In June, we joined

the "G-8 Global Partnership Against Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction" in order

to support joint forces to stem the spread of deadly arsenals.  We held the chairmanship of

the Nuclear Suppliers Group for the year 2003-4, and we will also host the Plenary Meeting

of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in Seoul next month.  These are just a

few examples that attest to my government's unwavering commitment to the cause of the

non-proliferation of WMD.

 

Given such a solid commitment on our part, my government reported the recent

discoveries about the past scientific experiments involving nuclear materials in my country

pursuant to the Additional Protocol to the Safeguards Agreement with IAEA. The

experiments were isolated, laboratory-scale research activities that a few scientists

conducted on their own for purely experimental purposes. In good faith and with full

transparency, my government has been providing full cooperation to the IAEA in its

activities to review and verify our declarations on nuclear research activities.

 

Renewing and reaffirming our commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and the

peaceful use of nuclear energy, the government of the Republic of Korea pronounced the

"Four Principles for the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy" on 18 September 2004.

 

First, the Republic of Korea reaffirms that it has no intention of developing or

possessing nuclear weapons; Second, the Republic of Korea will firmly maintain nuclear

transparency, and will strengthen our cooperation with the international community to this

end; Third, the Republic of Korea will faithfully abide by the norms set out in agreements

on nuclear non-proliferation, including the NPT and the Joint Declaration of the

Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula; And fourth, on the basis of international trust

and with the highest level of transparency, the Republic of Korea will continue to expand

the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

 

Mr. President,

 

I would now like to turn to one of the most important tasks that lie ahead: resolving the

North Korean nuclear issue.  The government of the Republic of Korea has been actively

engaged in the efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution to this issue through the Six-

Party Talks process.

 

The Republic of Korea firmly believes that the expeditious resolution of the North

Korean nuclear issue is in the best interests of all the participating parties to the Six-Party

Talks, including the DPRK.  The resolution of this issue will certainly have a positive

impact on the global nuclear non-proliferation regime.  It will also have a profound effect

on the relations between North Korea and the other participating countries in the Six-Party

Talks.

 

Upon the resolution of the nuclear issue, North Korea would indeed be able to become

a full-fledged member of the international community, enabling it to gain all the

accompanying benefits.  It is our fervent wish that North Korea will make a strategic

decision to forgo all its nuclear weapon programs, including uranium enrichment programs,

in a thorough and transparent manner.

 

The government of the Republic of Korea also strongly hopes that the fourth round of

talks will be held as soon as possible, so that we can engage in substantive discussions on

concrete steps toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

 

While seeking a peaceful resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue, the Korean

Government is working hard to ensure the steady improvement of inter-Korean relations.  

Indeed, government-level meetings have been institutionalized. As many as 90 such

meetings have been held over the past two years. Impressive progress is also being made in

major projects for economic cooperation.  In particular, the start of operations at the

Gaesong Industrial Complex scheduled for later this year will be a significant achievement

in inter-Korean cooperation.

 

As a result of such efforts we believe that inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation

have now advanced to a point from which there is no turning back.  The rise of such inter-

Korean interaction and interdependence will certainly contribute to peace and prosperity on

the Korean Peninsula and beyond.

 

Mr. President,

 

There are no easy answers to the many problems the world now faces, and poverty is

at the top of the list. The roots of poverty run deep, with no simple solution in sight.  Still

a large number of the human population languishes in abject poverty, presenting a serious

stumbling block to the achievement of our shared goal of lasting peace and prosperity for

all.

 

Four years ago, the leaders of the world pledged to reduce by half the proportion of

people living in poverty and hunger by the year 2015 as part of the Millennium

Development Goals (MDGs).  However, at this point, the gap between the objectives and

the tangible progress we have made remains wide.  It is our sincere hope that the 2005

High-Level Meeting to review the progress made in the implementation of the Millennium

Development Goals will serve to renew our commitment to the world's poor.  Political

will is the key.

 

Despite the difficult challenges it has brought, the new century also offers

unprecedented opportunities.  The explosive growth of information and communication

technologies (ICT) is the key to accelerated economic and social development.  But the

capacity of individual countries to translate this potential into reality varies greatly.  The

United Nations should assume a leading role in utilizing ICT to the fullest extent for the

attainment of poverty eradication and other development goals.  The Republic of Korea,

as a country strong in IT, is seeking to share its experience with developing countries by

providing training and resources.

 

Another area that requires our abiding attention in the 21st century is the environment.  

The international community's commitment to sustainable development was reaffirmed

through the adoption of the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation in 2002. My Government

has been faithfully implementing the international agreements on the environment, and has

been doing its share to keep environmental issues high on the global agenda.  Indeed, next

year, we will be hosting the "ESCAP Ministerial Meeting on the Environment and

Development" to discuss environmental protection and sustainable development in the

Asia-Pacific region.

 

Mr. President,

 

Over the past year the United Nations has continued its efforts to realize our common

aspirations for the promotion of human rights, freedom and well-being.  While

persevering in its quest to make human rights universal, the United Nations has exerted

special efforts to enable the most vulnerable of our fellow human beings to enjoy the rights

and freedom that should be guaranteed to all.  In particular, much progress has been made

in the endeavors to draft a convention to promote the rights of persons with disabilities.

 

The government of the Republic of Korea strongly supports global action to strengthen

the values of human rights and democracy around the world. Just last week in Seoul, we

organized a "Seminar on Good Governance Practices for the Promotion of Human Rights"

in conjunction with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UNDP.

We believe that this meeting of human rights experts has contributed greatly to developing

the links between good governance and human rights, as well as enriching the global

human rights discourse.

 

It is in the same vein that my government will host next year in Seoul the "Sixth

Global Forum on Reinventing Government" in cooperation with the United Nations.  We

are convinced that this Forum will serve as a useful venue for the exchange of experience in

government innovations aimed at enhancing participation and transparency in governance.

 

We also support the United Nations in reaching out to people in distress in many

corners of the world, providing life-saving assistance to millions of refugees and others

displaced by conflicts and natural disasters.  We share the concern of the international

community over the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Darfur, the Sudan.  Security Council

Resolution 1564 should be implemented so as to bring back peace and stability to this

troubled area and its inhabitant.

 

Furthermore, all too often, the complexities of major crises have been fueled by the

public health emergency created by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.  In order to overcome the

scourge of HIV/AIDS, it is vital that we strengthen the global assistance mechanisms.  In

this regard, the "3 by 5" initiative of the World Health Organization aiming to provide anti-

retroviral treatment to 3 million infected people by the year 2005 is a timely program. We

should all render our full cooperation to ensure its success.

 

Mr. President,

 

For almost six decades, the United Nations has played a crucial role in merging the

diverse interests of various member states for the global good.  As the international

community becomes more interdependent and areas of cooperation expand further into the

21st century, the world body will have an even greater role to play.

 

Meanwhile, doubts have been expressed as to whether the current UN system is

suitable for confronting the challenges of the new century. As the Secretary-General has

pointed out, the United Nations has come to a fork in the road. Choices must be made for a

more effective, strengthened United Nations.

 

In this regard, the Republic of Korea hopes that the High-Level Panel on Threats,

Challenges and Change established on the recommendation of the Secretary-General will

identify the challenges the international community faces and recommend ways to deal

with them effectively.  We look forward to the Panel's Report and hope that its

recommendations will shed light on ways to make the United Nations more effective and

responsive to the needs of the 21st century.

 

No doubt, continued reform of the United Nations will be an important part of the

discussions.  In particular, the Security Council, as the primary organ for maintaining

peace and security, must be reformed in such a way as to make it more representative and

democratic than it is today.

 

In this context, we share the view that the Security Council should be expanded to

adequately reflect the increase in the membership of the United Nations during the past

decades.  Expansion of the Security Council should be designed to enable more countries

to participate in the Council more often on the basis of more equitable geographical

distribution.  In this spirit, we support an increase in non-permanent members so as to

accord those member states, willing and able to contribute to international peace and

security, greater opportunities to serve in the Council.

 

Mr. President,

 

There is a common thread that holds together all the views expressed in this honored

hall, as diverse as they are.  We are all united in the goal of seeking a better and more

peaceful world.  Now more than ever, countries are called to rise to challenges together,

all as members of our one global body.  The Republic of Korea stands firm in its hopes for

and belief in the United Nations as the steadfast anchor for our collective endeavors, and

remains as committed as ever to fully playing its part in all areas of its noble work.

 

Thank you.