Joint Statement Ahead of the 2nd Democracy Summit Plenary Session
"Korean Democratic System, a Strong Beacon in the Indo-Pacific Region"
President Yoon Suk-yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden announced on the 29th that South Korea will host the 3rd Democracy Summit next year. The two leaders emphasized South Korea's democracy as a "strong beacon in the Indo-Pacific region" and highlighted the efforts South Korea has made to uphold democracy.
President Yoon and President Biden made these remarks in a joint statement ahead of the main session of the 2nd Democracy Summit, which was held that afternoon.
In the joint statement, the two leaders said, "The Republic of Korea and the United States share a deep bond based on common democratic values and respect for human rights, and we will further strengthen our robust political, economic, security, and people-to-people ties." They continued, "South Korea's democratic institutions are a strong beacon in the Indo-Pacific region, demonstrating to the world that democracy creates the environment necessary for sustained security and prosperity. Recently, South Korea has emerged as a global leader, which is in no small part due to the continuous efforts of the Korean people to increase government transparency, ensure effective checks and balances, and develop laws that meet public needs," explaining the background of the joint statement.
They added, "Since 2021, the Democracy Summit process has engaged hundreds of leaders from governments, civil society, and the private sector committed to strengthening democratic governance, protecting human rights, and advancing anti-corruption efforts," and evaluated the achievements of the Democracy Summit so far by stating, "Participating governments have made hundreds of commitments to reform laws and policies, strengthen transparent and accountable institutions, and provide additional support to democratic reformers, journalists, and activists."
They further noted, "Non-governmental organizations have expanded their core missions by utilizing the Democracy Summit platform to protect the most vulnerable groups and hold their national leaders accountable," and added, "Businesses have taken actions to improve democratic resilience through their business practices and engagement with workers, communities, and other stakeholders."
Moreover, they stated, "Strengthening transparent and accountable governance based on the consent of the people is a fundamental challenge of our time. To address the world's most critical challenges?safeguarding shared security and prosperity, responding to the climate crisis, enhancing global health and pandemic preparedness, and ensuring that new technologies do not undermine but contribute to democratic societies?cooperation among strong and resilient democracies is essential," and concluded, "We will proudly continue to work together to carry forward the momentum established in the two Democracy Summits and ensure these efforts demonstrate global leadership."
On the same day, the 2nd Democracy Summit, led by the United States and co-hosted by South Korea and others, officially opened. The Democracy Summit was first held in 2021 to check authoritarian states and promote cooperation among democratic countries. Approximately 110 governments, civil society, and private sector representatives attended the first summit in 2021, and this time, 120 countries are participating. Taiwan, which participated in the first summit and drew China's opposition, is also included in the list. On the 29th, President Biden, President Yoon, and other world leaders will participate in the general assembly to deliver a joint opening address, and President Yoon will then hold the first session under the theme "Prosperity with Economic Growth."
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