Cho Tae-yeol "Korea Pursues Role as Global Hub Nation as Advocate of Multilateralism" (Comprehensive)

Keynote Speech at UN General Assembly in New York, USA
"Korea is the antidote to paralyzed defeatism"
"We will be facilitators, sponsors, and leaders"
"Military cooperation between North Korea and Russia is deplorable"
Yoon Administration Appeals for Support of August 15 Unification Doctrine

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul stated on the 27th (local time) that South Korea, which was once a recipient country of UN aid, will now take on the role of advocate, facilitator, sponsor, and leader of multilateral systems such as the United Nations.

Cho Tae-yeol, Minister of Foreign Affairs [Photo by Yonhap News]

He also criticized North Korea for continuing illegal arms transactions with Russia, which undermine world peace, and appealed for the international community's attention and support for the South Korean government's proposed '8.15 Unification Doctrine' aimed at realizing a free and peaceful unified Korean Peninsula.

In his keynote speech representing the South Korean government at the 79th United Nations General Assembly held in New York that day, Minister Cho said, "Korea recognizes its debt to the multilateral system and its growing ability to advocate for it, aspiring to become a global pivotal state."

He emphasized that South Korea, which was left in ruins after the Korean War, was able to achieve democracy and prosperity based on UN aid, stating, "Korea's case is an antidote to the paralyzing defeatism toward multilateralism."

Minister Cho outlined three roles for South Korea to restore multilateralism such as the United Nations: as a facilitator for sustainable peace, a sponsor for sustainable development and climate change action, and a leader for new norms and governance.

He went on to condemn the North Korea-Russia arms trade that violates UN Security Council sanctions and requested international support for the 8.15 Unification Doctrine in his speech.

He said, "North Korea is engaging in military cooperation with Russia by providing missiles and millions of rounds of ammunition," adding, "It is truly deplorable that Russia, one of the founding members of the non-proliferation regime and a permanent member of the Security Council, is conducting illegal arms transactions with North Korea."

He further criticized North Korea’s nuclear development program and human rights abuses as "two sides of the same coin," stating, "North Korea suppresses the human rights of its people and diverts scarce resources meant for its starving citizens to develop weapons of mass destruction."

Minister Cho mentioned that the tragic events occurring not far from Seoul reveal the darkest form of cynicism toward multilateralism.

He introduced President Yoon Suk-yeol’s announced 8.15 Unification Doctrine as presenting the vision of a "free, peaceful, and prosperous unified Korean Peninsula."

Minister Cho appealed for the international community’s support, saying, "To achieve this vision, the international community must advocate for and stand up for the freedom and human rights of the voiceless North Korean people."