YouSaid · the spoken record

Hong Soon-young

lines on the record: 48
first: 1998-09-24
most recent: 1999-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“We hope the Millennium Assembly strengthens the global leadership of the United Nations for the new age. In this regard, such thought-provoking concepts as global public goods, human security and global governance may serve to frame the discussions at the Millennium Assembly. I look to the twenty-first century as the era of the United Nations. I sincerely hope to see the global body renew itself and fulfil its missions through continuous reforms and to enhance its effectiveness and democratic character. Recalling the lofty spirit that gave birth to the United Nations half a century ago, on behalf of the Government and people of the Republic of Korea, I pledge our abiding support for the global body in its noble mission for peace and prosperity around the world.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We hope that peace is soon returned and that the will of the people for independence is fully implemented through the conjoined efforts of the Indonesian Government and the United Nations. The Republic of Korea will take part in the peacekeeping operations and will continue to do its share in the efforts to safeguard regional and global peace and stability. The United Nations has much work to do in the twenty-first century. The Republic of Korea deeply appreciates the reforms introduced by the Secretary-General to enhance the responsiveness of the global body to new challenges. We welcome the designation of the fifty-fifth session next year as the Millennium Assembly to identify the challenges awaiting the global community in the twenty-first century.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Exploring the role of the non-governmental organizations in the twenty-first century global community, the meeting from October 11 to 15 should bring the United Nations system and civil society closer together. Let us turn our attention to the situation in East Timor. The Republic of Korea applauded the Government of Indonesia for making the decision to let the people of East Timor choose their own fate. The will of the people, as unequivocally registered on 30 August, must be upheld. The violent repression of that will is a grave challenge to the basic principle of democracy and human decency. The atrocity must not be left unpunished and law and order must be restored in East Timor. The Indonesian Government has again shown wisdom and courage in accepting the multinational peacekeeping forces under the auspices of the United Nations.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We wish to see the mainstreaming of human rights in all the programmes and activities of the United Nations further expanded and deepened. Furthermore, we believe this global body should strengthen its capacity for early warning and preventive action so as to forestall massive human rights violations and the outflow of refugees. The task of advancing human rights has always benefited from the push and pull of civil society. It will be even more so in the new century as Governments and the United Nations work in closer alliance and cooperation with non-governmental organizations, research organizations and advocacy groups. Next month, some 3,000 non- governmental organization representatives will gather in Seoul to take part in the 1999 international conference of non-governmental organizations.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Human rights has 21 become a priority agenda of the post-cold-war global community. In the Republic of Korea, the Government of President Kim Dae Jung has made significant advances in the field of human rights. We have also been an active participant in the efforts of the United Nations and the global community to resolve concrete cases of human rights violations. While we note the advances in human rights, we must not forget that a quarter of the world's population still struggles to survive in abject poverty. Poverty undermines human dignity and human rights. Poverty is fertile ground for conflict and dictatorship. Poverty alleviation should be incorporated as a key goal in the United Nations endeavours to advance human rights around the world.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Doing its share in the efforts to save the 9 million children of the world who are dying every year from diseases that can be prevented, the Republic of Korea has hosted the International Vaccine Institute since 1994. We hope the Institute will be able to work in close cooperation with the Global Alliance and the Vaccine Initiative. In the half century since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted in 1948, the United Nations has taken the lead in forging global mechanisms for the protection and advancement of human rights around the world. The principles of universality, indivisibility and interdependence of all human rights are now widely upheld. Human rights violations, wherever they may take place, are now considered a legitimate concern of the international community.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Unattended, the disparity will only grow in the twenty-first century of unlimited competition, becoming a risk factor that could endanger global stability and peace. There is a pressing need for a new paradigm of international development cooperation, whereby the chronic poverty and excessive debts besetting the developing countries and other related issues are taken as challenges to be overcome with the active input of all members of the global community. Development is meaningless without a healthy population to reap the fruits. Thus, we welcome the joint initiative of the United Nations Children's Fund and the World Health Organization to establish the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization and the Children's Vaccine Initiative.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Applying those lessons in the reform drive, we are on our way to becoming a market economy with a human face. Of course, in a globalized economy, crisis knows no borders and the efforts at preventing and coping with crisis must also extend beyond borders. In this regard, we welcome the discussions concerning the restructuring of the global financial architecture. For the discussions to be productive, the crisis-stricken countries and other emerging market economies should have extensive participation. Keeping track of the discussions for meaningful progress, we count on the continued cooperation between the United Nations and the Bretton Woods systems. One consequence of globalization has been the widening gap between the developed and the developing countries and the increasing marginalization of the least developed ones.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“A year ago, from this same rostrum, I spoke about the efforts of my Government and people to overcome the crisis, guided by the conviction in the parallel development of democracy and the free-market economy. Today, I am happy to report that the efforts have begun to pay off and the country is expected to achieve over 6 per cent economic growth this year, a dramatic turnaround from the -5.8 percent of last year. Other economic indicators also speak of a stable, recovering economy. Korea has learned valuable lessons from the economic crisis. We are now keenly aware that free and fair competition and good governance are essential to sustainable economic development. We also realized that a system of social welfare based on human-resources development must be established to mitigate the painful consequences of the reforms.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We failed to realize that globalization requires constant efforts to reinforce the market rules — transparency, accountability, efficiency and productivity. As a result, Korea was struck by a severe economic crisis in 1997. But now we are trying to make up for past neglect. During the past year and a half, we have been undertaking sweeping and intense reforms in the key sectors of society. The reforms have required painful restructuring and sacrifices, but we have been steady and firm in putting into practice the belief that trade and investment liberalization and the strengthening of market rules are the keys to sustained economic growth and prosperity.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“I urge the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, as a party to the NPT, to fulfil its responsibilities under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards agreement and to cooperate with us to implement the 1991 Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. We are living in a single global community. Globalization has been good to the Republic of Korea. Without the open markets, interdependencies and instant information flow nurtured by globalization, we would not have been able to achieve the rapid economic development that we did. However, stuck in the expediencies fostered during the years of Government-driven quantitative growth, Korea neglected to strengthen the market rules in the national economy.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“With the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), my country is now a party to all the key non-proliferation treaties. We call upon other countries that have yet to sign and ratify the CTBT to promptly do so, so that the Treaty can soon go into effect. We call upon all States to join in the non-proliferation efforts by acceding to all global 20 regimes, such as the Chemical Weapons Convention, aimed at combating the spread of weapons of mass destruction. A priority task for the global community will be to successfully carry out the review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) slated for next year and to revitalize the Conference on Disarmament.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“They must strengthen mutual trust by upgrading the mode and calibre of their dialogue and consultations. They should promptly set out to establish a dialogue forum where they can all engage in earnest exchanges of views and nurture the sense of community. The Republic of Korea stands ready to cooperate closely with the other countries of the region to launch such a mechanism for dialogue and cooperation encompassing all of North-East Asia. I urge the countries of the region to join in the efforts to translate this idea into reality. Peace and co-prosperity in North-East Asia will certainly gain from the global disarmament and non-proliferation efforts, in which the Republic of Korea has been an active participant.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Unhampered exchanges and cooperation are expanding far beyond the trade in goods and services to people-to-people contacts and other interactions in the fields of culture, sports, education and many others. Mutual understanding and appreciation is deepening. To further the trend, North-East Asia requires adequate mechanisms to deal with transnational issues, such as environmental pollution, drug-trafficking, refugees, organized crime and public health. There is also a need for a region-wide channel of dialogue and cooperation to defuse tension and prevent conflict. To enjoy a stable security environment and co- prosperity in the twenty-first century, the countries of North-East Asia must learn from the lessons of region-wide cooperation and integration in many other areas of the world.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“We are prepared to offer far more in terms of food and fertilizer, as well as assistance to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's agricultural restructuring. We urge the North Korean authorities to join us in dialogue for cooperation on this and other matters. North-East Asia, where the interests of the major Powers intersect, is an economic powerhouse and a region vital to global peace and stability. With the market economy taking root throughout the region, a new age of stability, cooperation and mutual prosperity is sprouting in North-East Asia. The countries of the region are becoming bound ever closer together in economic ties and interdependencies.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The problems require the continued interest and assistance of the international community. Countless children in the North are suffering and dying from starvation and malnutrition, stunted growth and disease. With their right to food and life irrevocably impaired, tens of thousands of North Koreans have fled the country in search of food. The primary responsibility for redressing the situation lies with the North Korean authorities. They must face up to the enormity of the problems. We also hope that the international community will provide continued humanitarian assistance to North Korea. The Government of the Republic of Korea has actively taken part in the humanitarian efforts to help the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“It may perceive the engagement policy as a strategy to bring about its downfall or to absorb it. Speaking in this solemn Hall, I must reiterate the genuine, good-hearted intentions of the engagement policy. The Republic of Korea has no wish to undermine North Korea or to make it a part of us. All we seek is peaceful coexistence. I make this appeal. Let us, South and North Korea, live in lasting peace. Let us together join the mainstream of history: reconciliation, cooperation and interdependence. I sincerely hope that North Korea responds to the warm sunshine we have been sending it with some warm sunshine of its own. I also hope that the North Korean authorities will take steps to fundamentally address the chronic food shortage and other difficulties that have plagued the people in the North for many years.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“19 Economic cooperation is also an important element in the work of the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization, a joint endeavour of the Republic of Korea, the United States, Japan, the European Union and many other countries to help resolve North Korea's energy- shortage problem while keeping it free of nuclear weapons. The engagement policy is being carried out in close consultation with the United States and Japan. It also has the full support of our neighbours in North-East Asia — China, the Russian Federation and Mongolia — as well as the G-7, the Association of South-East Asian Nations, the European Union and other members of the international community. South Korea is deeply grateful for their understanding and support. Still North Korea remains suspicious of our intentions.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“It is a policy of tolerance, envisioning the peaceful coexistence of two systems along the road to eventual unification. The steady and consistent implementation of the engagement policy during the past year and a half has made meaningful and unprecedented openings in the thick wall that divides South and North Korea. South Korean businesses are investing in the North. In one such venture, over 100,000 South Korean tourists were able to visit a scenic mountain in the North for the first time since the national division.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“It aspires to free the Korean peninsula from the final legacy of the cold war and allow it to take its rightful place in the grand march of history towards the new era. To realize this aspiration, the engagement policy of the Government of President Kim Dae-jung has been sending warm winds of sunshine to the North, in hopes that it will respond in kind. Inspired by the lessons of history and the trend of the times, this sunshine policy represents a bold shift in our thinking about South-North relations. Our engagement policy is not aimed at undermining or absorbing the North. Instead, it is a policy of cooperation, designed to help North Korea overcome its economic difficulties and promote the co-prosperity of all Koreans, so that we may finally be free from the threat of another war.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“In economic affairs, the market economy is becoming the global norm. In political matters, reconciliation and cooperation have become the expected mode of behaviour. The world is becoming a global village of countries willing and eager to live with one another in interdependence and integration. A conspicuous exception to the tide of the times is the Korean peninsula, where the confrontational structure of the cold-war era still keeps the two divided sides in mutual distrust and hostility. Decades have passed since the end of the Korean war, but genuine peace has yet to come to the Korean people. Despite the warm wind of reconciliation blowing around the world, the Korean peninsula has remained frozen in an icy time warp. The Republic of Korea aspires to melt away the ice and reconcile with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“The new millennium is about to dawn, and we will enter it with great hope for the new age, but also burdened by numerous problems left unresolved from the passing century. To realize the hope and mould the twenty-first century into an era of global peace and stability, of well-being and prosperity for all humankind, we must face up to these problems, decide what our priority goals are and seek measures to achieve them. So that the fifty-fourth session may illuminate the way, let us gather the best of our collective wisdom. The defining character of our times is change and the acceleration of change. The guiding precept of the global actors is shifting from nationalism to internationalism, and further to globalism. The whole world is converging around shared values and behaviour patterns.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“On behalf of my delegation, I offer Mr. Theo-Ben Gurirab my sincere congratulations on his election as President of the General Assembly at its fifty-fourth session. I also pay a tribute to his predecessor, Mr. Didier Opertti, under whose leadership the Assembly succeeded in achieving positive results at its fifty-third session. I have every expectation that this, the final session of the Assembly of the twentieth century, will be as fruitful. The rich experience and leadership Mr. Gurirab brings to the presidency ensure the session's success. I assure him of our full cooperation and support in his noble endeavours. I warmly congratulate the three new Members, the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of Nauru and the Kingdom of Tonga, on their admission to the United Nations.”
1999-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 54 (1999)
“Of this, I am certain. But it also promises a bright future if we, together, can successfully rise to the occasion. The United Nations is a tool and a forum; it is a symbol — the best that we have — of our joint commitment to making the next century more secure, more humane and more hopeful than the last one. The Republic of Korea, together with other Member States, stands ready to make its due contributions towards these lofty goals.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“In this context, we note with appreciation the efforts of the Working Group on Security Council reform to seek a realistic and practical solution which should enjoy general agreement among Member States. My delegation welcomes the reform efforts that Secretary-General Kofi Annan has made since taking office. The Republic of Korea has consistently supported the Secretary-General?s reform initiatives and will continue to do so in our common efforts to revitalize the Organization in the years ahead. We hope that the Millennium Assembly, to be held in the year 2000, will serve as an opportunity to crystallize the visions and strategies needed to meet the challenges of the twenty- first century. We look forward to the twenty-first century with great expectations. The time ahead of us will undoubtedly pose daunting challenges.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“On the threshold of the new millennium, the international community is encountering an increasingly complex set of challenges to peace and security. At this critical juncture, the Security Council needs to reform itself to adapt to the drastically changed international environment. The Republic of Korea fully supports an expanded, more representative and democratic Security Council. However, no Security Council reform package will be feasible without universal support among Member States. In this regard, we hope that the Council reform package will be worked out on the broadest consensus possible, far exceeding the mandatory endorsement by two thirds of the members of the General Assembly.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The Republic of Korea, while serving as a member of the Security Council last year, initiated a Council open debate on protection for humanitarian assistance to refugees in conflict situations, which led to the adoption of a presidential statement. We hope that the Secretary-General?s report on this topic, released this week, will renew the international community?s awareness of this issue and lead to concrete follow-up measures. My delegation is deeply disturbed by the recent increase in brutal international terrorist activities. The Republic of Korea will not tolerate any acts of terrorism, and urges all Member States to cooperate in devising effective international measures to combat terrorism.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Regrettably, a number of countries presumed to possess chemical weapons, including the Democratic People?s Republic of Korea, have not yet acceded to the Chemical Weapons Convention. We urge those States to do so without delay. My delegation also hopes for an early adoption of the Verification Protocol to the Biological Weapons Convention. In recent years, we have seen the United Nations peacekeeping operations expand their activities to such areas as repatriation of refugees, demilitarization and disbanding of armies, and the policing and monitoring of elections. While this trend can be viewed positively, my delegation is deeply concerned about the increasing number of victims among civilian volunteers and United Nations personnel.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“13 My Government shares the grave concern of the international community over the launching of the rocket- propelled object by the Democratic People?s Republic of Korea on 31 August. The Democratic People?s Republic of Korea?s ability to develop delivery means of weapons of mass destruction poses a serious threat to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in North-East Asia. The international community should make concerted efforts to induce the Democratic People?s Republic of Korea to refrain from conducting further missile development, testing and exporting. Chemical and biological weapons are another category of weapons of mass destruction that requires our serious attention. We commend the valuable achievements of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons over the last year and a half.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Furthermore, we urge the Democratic People?s Republic of Korea to demonstrate its sincerity in upholding the Agreed Framework by guaranteeing full transparency with regard to the recently discovered underground facilities near Yongbyon. For its part, my Government will make continued efforts, together with the United States, Japan and other parties concerned, for smooth progress in the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) project, pursuant to the Agreed Framework. As the KEDO project contributes to the peace and security of the region, we look forward to continued political and financial support from the international community. We also believe that both Koreas should renew their efforts to implement the Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula of 1992.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“At the same time, we welcome the decision made at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva last month to establish an ad hoc committee on the Fissile Material Cut-off Convention. We also call upon all nuclear-weapon States faithfully to comply with their obligations to undertake nuclear disarmament pursuant to article VI of the NPT. We stress once again that the Democratic People?s Republic of Korea, as a State party to the NPT, should fully comply with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards agreement. It should also carry out its obligations to freeze its nuclear activities and eventually dismantle the related facilities in accordance with the Geneva Agreed Framework. In particular, it should cooperate closely with the IAEA in preserving necessary information related to its past nuclear activities.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“We call upon the States concerned to desist from further nuclear testing and weaponization, and to accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) without delay. We also urge the international community to maintain vigilance to prevent the transfer of their nuclear weapons-related materials, equipment and technology to third countries. In this context, we believe that the early entry into force and the securing of the universality of the CTBT should be a high priority of the disarmament agenda. My Government is proceeding with its domestic procedures for the ratification of the CTBT next year.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“My Government welcomes the adoption of the Statute of the International Criminal Court in Rome last July. We are confident that the establishment of the Court will be a landmark in strengthening the international legal system. We earnestly hope that the Court will be launched as soon as possible. In the rapidly changing international security environment of the post-cold-war era, the United Nations is now faced with new challenges arising from the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery. We deeply regret the recent nuclear tests carried out by India and then Pakistan. These tests seriously undermine the nuclear non-proliferation regime.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Fifty years after the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and despite strenuous efforts by the United Nations and human rights defenders, we are still witnessing, to our dismay, serious human rights violations and blatant challenges to United Nations human rights mechanisms throughout the world. Notwithstanding these grim realities, I am convinced that history is moving towards universal respect for human rights and dignity. In this context, my Government fully supports the Secretary- General?s initiative to mainstream human rights in all of the United Nations activities and programmes. As an initiative to bolster national human rights safeguard mechanisms, my Government has begun preparations for enacting a comprehensive human rights act and establishing a national human rights institution.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“I should like to take this opportunity to say a few words about the International Vaccine Institute (IVI). My Government has hosted IVI as a part of its commitment to international efforts to prevent childhood diseases, especially those in developing countries. Thirty-two Governments and the World Health Organization (WHO) have signed the Establishment Agreement of IVI, aimed at developing and distributing non-commercial vaccines. Yesterday in New York, the Government of the Republic of Korea and IVI signed the Headquarters Agreement. I look forward to more active support and to the substantial participation of Member States in this worthy project.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“We are contributing to regional liberalization of trade and investment through active involvement in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (APEC). In addition, my Government is scheduled to host the third summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting in the year 2000. We will do our 12 best to make the summit a milestone in building a comprehensive partnership between Asia and Europe. Beyond these immediate concerns for economic revitalization in Korea and the world community in general, we are faced with another long-term challenge, that of environmental protection. Climate changes, for instance, demand urgent attention and concrete actions by all countries. Last year, we made historic progress in combating global warming by adopting the Kyoto Protocol. I am pleased to say that my Government will accede to the Kyoto Protocol this afternoon.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“For this purpose, my Government supports the development of the least developed countries through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and cooperates with United Nations regional economic commissions, such as the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). Even with the current financial crisis, the Republic of Korea continues to play its due role in development cooperation, with KOICA as its focal point. While contributing to the strengthening of multilateral cooperation, we are also participating in regional cooperation efforts aimed at stimulating and sustaining steady regional growth and balanced development for the Asia-Pacific region.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“This structural reform is intended to ensure deregulation of economic activities, transparency and accountability in the financial and corporate sector, and mobility in the labour market. When the ongoing structural reform is successfully completed, the Republic of Korea will be a more free and more open society, contributing to the resurgence of economic dynamism in the Asian region. This is the goal of our structural reform. In spite of overall growth in the world economy, the least developed countries continue to be marginalized and still do not receive their fair share of the benefits of that general trend. As a community, we should pay more attention to the deteriorating situation in these marginalized countries and should strengthen economic and development cooperation for their sustainable growth.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“Towards this end, my Government welcomes the United Nations initiative to strengthen its dialogue and cooperation with the Bretton Woods system. The United Nations is expected to play a more active role in addressing diverse problems arising from the globalization process. Among the various factors that triggered our own domestic economic difficulties was a loose application of the rule of accountability in the corporate and financial sector. My Government is trying to turn the current financial crisis into an opportunity to reform and revitalize its economy. We are taking bold and decisive steps towards a comprehensive structural reform based on democracy and market principles.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“However, contrary to earlier expectations that the globalization process would stimulate world economic growth and reduce the gap between developed and developing countries, the international community is now baffled by the negative repercussions of rapid globalization. Asian countries, which have long been a model of economic development, are now struggling with serious financial crises. Other countries are also suffering economic unrest, and together these may lead to global economic turmoil. The international community, amid sudden and unexpected economic turbulences, would be well advised to develop a common strategy to maximize potential economic benefits of market liberalization and globalization.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“We would like to revitalize and implement the Inter-Korean Basic Agreement of 1992 through South-North dialogue. My Government will try to ease tension and create a peaceful environment on the Korean Peninsula through the four-party talks process. I wish to reiterate that our immediate objective is, first and foremost, peaceful coexistence. We hope that the Democratic People?s Republic of Korea will respond with an equal display of sincerity and good faith to our policies of accommodation. I would now like to share some thoughts with you on the current global economic situation. In the past decade, we have witnessed deepening interdependence among countries in the accelerated, market-driven process of globalization.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“The Democratic People?s Republic of Korea reacted passively or even negatively to these proposals. It provoked the Republic of Korea by infiltrating a submarine into South Korean territorial waters in June, and again in late August by launching a rocket into the western Pacific Ocean without any prior warning. My Government deplores these acts of provocation. They pose a serious threat to our security. But despite these acts of provocation, my Government continues to uphold the keynote of its engagement policy so that the two Koreas might come to enjoy the benefits of peaceful coexistence. My Government hopes that the leadership of the Democratic People?s Republic of Korea will put aside its defiance and respond positively to our calls for dialogue and collaboration.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“We believe that inter-Korean consultations are indispensable for North Korea?s economic recovery. In this regard, we also look forward to the role of the United Nations system as a facilitator of this process. In his August speech, President Kim Dae Jung further proposed the establishment of a permanent inter- Korean dialogue arrangement headed by ministerial or vice-ministerial officials, in the hope of opening a new 11 era of reconciliation and cooperation between the two Koreas. He also made it clear that the Republic of Korea is willing to send an envoy to Pyongyang to discuss this proposal. The main thrust of President Kim?s engagement policy is to establish a workable system of peaceful coexistence based on reconciliation and mutual trust.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“To achieve these goals, President Kim announced the following three principles immediately after his inauguration: no tolerance of any military provocation by North Korea; no attempts on our part to absorb the North; and the active promotion of inter- Korean reconciliation, exchange and cooperation. In line with these principles, my Government is encouraging private sector initiatives to pursue exchanges and cooperation with the North at their own discretion, while maintaining the principle of reciprocity at the governmental level. The Republic of Korea will remain committed to actively responding to the appeals of the United Nations and other international organizations to assist North Korea to overcome its food shortages and economic difficulties.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“On 15 August 1998, on the fiftieth anniversary of the Government of the Republic of Korea, President Kim Dae Jung proclaimed the launching of our “Second Nation Building” to define the nation?s efforts to overcome the current crisis and to foster Korea?s democracy and market economy to greater maturity. Our immediate concerns, however, are not only economic. The new Government of the Republic of Korea formulated the “Sunshine Policy”, a policy of constructive engagement, as the cornerstone of its stance towards North Korea. Division, war and confrontation have more often than not characterized inter-Korean relations. Changing the nature of this relationship requires the restoration and cultivation of mutual trust between the two parties.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“This Government carries special significance for the Korean people because it marks the first time an opposition party has acceded to power in the 50-year constitutional history of Korea. The Republic of Korea is one of the countries that gained independence during the last half-century; it has subsequently developed into a liberal democracy within a relatively short period of time. Poverty-stricken and war- torn only 50 years ago, the Republic of Korea has now grown to be a middle-power State. My country is currently endeavouring to overcome enormous economic difficulties and to ensure the parallel and harmonious development of democracy and free market economy. We are well aware that the world is watching to see if and how we can accomplish such a difficult task.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“With confidence and pride, we can look back over the past five decades and note with appreciation the tremendous contributions the United Nations has made towards international peace and prosperity. We must also note that today the United Nations is confronted with enormous challenges and opportunities. The identification of these challenges, both within the United Nations itself and in the world with which the United Nations must engage, is where our discussion must begin. As a world community, we face trends and challenges that test our wisdom and courage. Before I discuss our common efforts, I would like to begin by addressing how we are now handling our own concerns in Korea. Last February, the Republic of Korea inaugurated the Government of President Kim Dae-jung.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)
“On behalf of the delegation of the Republic of Korea, I sincerely congratulate Mr. Didier Opertti on his election to the presidency of this session of the General Assembly. We are fully confident that the Assembly will reap fruitful results under his distinguished leadership. I would also like to pay tribute to his predecessor, His Excellency Mr. Hennadiy Y. Udovenko, and to the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Kofi Annan. I would like to discuss today our common future and the various efforts that we will need to consider to ensure its betterment. With the new millennium just around the corner, we must contemplate the possibilities for our future world.”
1998-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 53 (1998)