Speaker Woo Wonshik: "Political Polarization Must Be Addressed Urgently" (Comprehensive)

Emphasis at the MIKTA Speakers' Meeting of Five Countries
Joint Declaration Highlights "Easing Tensions on the Korean Peninsula"

On November 12, National Assembly Speaker Woo Wonshik called for cooperation among the parliaments of each country, emphasizing that "international cooperation based on multilateralism is urgently needed," at the MIKTA Speakers' Meeting, a consultative body of middle-power countries from different regions.

Yonhap News Agency

At the meeting held at the Walkerhill Hotel in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, Speaker Woo delivered his opening remarks, stating, "The world is undergoing a major turning point. Amid escalating geopolitical conflicts and complex crises, countries around the world are fiercely striving to protect their own interests."

He added, "Based on its achievements so far, MIKTA now stands at a point where it must redefine its role and jointly seek directions for cooperation toward a future of integration and coexistence. The role of parliaments is more important than ever."

He continued, "The parliaments of the five MIKTA countries have continuously engaged in exchanges and cooperation, pioneering a new future for parliamentary diplomacy and international collaboration. The inclusive leadership and pragmatic cooperation of MIKTA parliaments will serve as an engine of hope, reemphasizing multilateralism and driving international cooperation amid a global landscape dominated by conflict, division, and uncertainty."

During the session on "Political Parliaments" held that day, Speaker Woo stressed that "political polarization is an urgent issue that must be addressed."

He pointed out, "Although fandom politics has positive effects such as expanding political participation and enhancing political efficacy, it also causes problems like blind following, demonization of opposing politicians, and suppression of intra-party democracy. Coupled with a media environment reliant on algorithms, this creates a vicious cycle that spreads conspiracy theories and fake news, intensifying 'political extremism' characterized by hatred and exclusion."

He further emphasized, "Within such a political culture, politicians and parties come to define their opponents not as partners for negotiation and coexistence, but as enemies. Even within parties, hardliners take control, making it even more difficult to resolve issues through dialogue and compromise."

Woo Wonshik, Speaker of the National Assembly, is delivering the opening address at the opening ceremony of the 11th MIKTA Speakers' Meeting held on the 12th at the Grand & Vista Walkerhill Hotel in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. MIKTA is an acronym formed from the first letters of the English names of Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey, and Australia, and was established in September 2013 under Korea's leadership. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

At the Speakers' Meeting, representatives from each country adopted a joint declaration that included the need to pursue the easing of tensions on the Korean Peninsula through diplomatic solutions.

In the declaration, member countries stated, "We reaffirm that, in order to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula, we must continue efforts to ease tensions and enhance exchanges and cooperation through dialogue and confidence-building, and we express our support for the Republic of Korea's efforts in this regard."

They also added, "We express deep concern that divided political polarization, combined with increasing misinformation and disinformation, is spreading extremism and populism, undermining social cohesion, and threatening the foundations of democracy."

MIKTA is a consultative group of middle-power countries, including Korea, Mexico, Indonesia, T?rkiye, and Australia, which are G20 member states that are not part of the G7 or BRICS and rank 12th to 18th in the world by GDP. The group was launched under Korea's initiative during the 68th United Nations General Assembly in 2013.

With middle-power countries at its core, MIKTA serves as a bridge between developed and developing nations, focusing on addressing global challenges and strengthening multilateralism.

This year's Speakers' Meeting, chaired by Korea, was attended by Puan Maharani, Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives; Paulina Rubio, Deputy Speaker of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies; Sue Lines, President of the Australian Senate; and Mevlut Cavusoglu, Member of the Grand National Assembly of T?rkiye, each representing their respective parliaments.

The meeting is divided into four sessions under the theme "Inclusive Parliamentary Leadership for a Future of Integration and Coexistence," covering international relations, climate and energy, social security, and political parliaments. Speaker Woo also held bilateral talks with the delegations from each country in attendance.