Democracy Summit... Yoon to Deliver 'Freedom Solidarity' Message

Jointly Hosted with the US and Others on the 29th-30th
Yoon Chairs First Session on 'Economic Growth'
Presidential Office: "An Opportunity to Enhance International Leadership and National Prestige"

President Yoon Suk-yeol (photo) will deliver a message at the Democracy Summit, hosted by the United States and co-hosted by South Korea on the 29th and 30th, expressing his commitment to contributing to the international community through a "Solidarity of Freedom and Prosperity."

On the 23rd, the Presidential Office stated regarding the upcoming 2nd Democracy Summit next week, "President Yoon will share South Korea's experience of achieving both democracy and economic growth," adding, "It will be an opportunity to demonstrate a commitment to norms and values, thereby enhancing international leadership and national prestige." This follows the disclosure of the summit's detailed schedule on the 22nd (local time) by Robert Vichinsky, Senior Director of the White House National Security Council (NSC), during a foreign press briefing at the Washington D.C. Press Center. U.S. President Joe Biden had sent an invitation to President Yoon on the 12th, requesting him to preside over a plenary session.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Democracy Summit was first held in December 2021 via a virtual format to counter the rise of authoritarian states and respond to the decline of democracy worldwide since President Biden took office. This time, the meeting on the 29th will be held virtually, while the meeting on the 30th will be hosted in South Korea, gathering Asian countries. President Yoon will preside over the virtual meeting on the 29th. The offline meeting on the 30th is expected to be a ministerial-level regional meeting for Asia.

At the plenary session, after opening remarks by the heads of the co-hosting countries, five sessions, each chaired by a respective leader, will follow. President Yoon will chair the first session under the theme "Prosperity Alongside Economic Growth." On the 30th, at the regional meeting, South Korea will represent the Indo-Pacific region and host a session on "Challenges and Achievements in Combating Corruption."

During the summit, President Yoon plans to share South Korea's experience of achieving both democracy and economic growth. In particular, he intends to express his commitment to contributing to the international community through a solidarity of freedom and prosperity, which has helped achieve these goals. The Presidential Office expects this opportunity to serve as a turning point for South Korea to take the lead in promoting democracy worldwide. The message also includes a commitment to addressing the global issue of democratic backsliding. A Presidential Office official elaborated, "It signifies South Korea's contribution to the international community by sharing the know-how accumulated as a democratic advanced nation that overcame war and poverty with the help of the international community."

This will also be seen as a stage to reaffirm the foundation of South Korea's diplomacy, "multilateral diplomacy through freedom and solidarity." The official said, "By concretely implementing President Yoon's vision of freedom and solidarity and demonstrating it both domestically and internationally, it will be an opportunity to enhance policy trust in South Korea."