연설문
제59차 UN총회 기조연설문(영문)
- 작성일
- 2004-09-24 00:00:00
- 조회수
- 6058
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.