Outgoing Foreign Minister Park Jin: "I will return to my district and work hard... Supporting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the National Assembly"

"38 Business Trips in 20 Months... Precious Memories"
"Support for Expanding Ministry of Foreign Affairs Budget and Personnel in the National Assembly"

Foreign Minister Park Jin is attending the farewell ceremony held at Seohui Hall, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 10th, and is taking a commemorative photo with employees holding support signs.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Foreign Minister Park Jin urged at his farewell ceremony on the 10th that "national interests, universal values, and diplomatic strategy must be aligned to create synergy." He also emphasized, "I will continue to support the Ministry of Foreign Affairs even after going to the National Assembly."

At the farewell ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Seoul that morning, Minister Park said, "Over the past 20 months, I have taken a total of 38 business trips, covering a flight distance of about 540,000 km, nearly circling the globe 13 times, shedding sweat along the way," adding, "I will cherish the time spent together as precious memories." He served as the first foreign minister of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration for one year and eight months.

Minister Park encouraged the staff by saying, "The diplomatic environment facing South Korea in this era of global complex crises is becoming increasingly difficult," and quoted Winston Churchill, "A pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty."

Foreign Minister Park Jin is delivering a farewell speech at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Seohui Hall in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 10th.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

He continued, "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' budget still accounts for about 0.64% of the total government budget," and said, "At least 1% of the government budget is needed to demonstrate advanced diplomatic capabilities." He added, "When I return to the legislature, I will work even harder to expand the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' budget and personnel and to improve employee welfare." Minister Park, a four-term incumbent lawmaker, has announced his intention to run in the general election this April.

On his last commute to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building that day, Minister Park met with reporters and said, "I will work hard after returning to my constituency (Gangnam-eul, Seoul)," and "When I return to the National Assembly, I will do my best not only for the future development of the country but also for the success of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration." He also emphasized, "Since we started participating as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council from this year, it is the year when diplomacy as a global pivotal country will be fully activated," and added, "I will cheer and support diligently from the National Assembly."

Former Ambassador to the United Nations Cho Tae-yeol was appointed as Minister Park's successor on the same day. The Presidential Office explained that choosing former Ambassador Cho, who has extensive experience in economic trade and multilateral diplomacy, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs was "to strengthen economic security response capabilities amid the deepening complex global economic crisis."