Han Seung-soo

“ If there were hard-learned lessons from the Depression of the 1930s, “the beggar-thy-neighbor policy,” the policy of raising tariff to protect their own industry, exacerbated the world economy. Therefore, I strongly believe that any solutions should be based on even more consolidated cooperation of international community and the ‘open’ market economy.
Mr. President,
Today, the expectations placed upon the United Nations by the international community are higher than ever. ”

“ However, what the UN can achieve cannot be greater than the sum of all our individual achievements, unless there are synergy effects. Therefore, all of us, each and every Member State, should not only do our best in carrying out our responsibilities but also be willing to help and reach out to others. Only by doing so, this global body can live up to and even do better than the expectations of the international community. And to this end, the Republic of Korea will faithfully do its part. ”

“ Without a doubt, the current instability in the financial market could have a devastating, domino-like impact on the real economy in this globalized world. We have to be careful, however, not to rush into protectionist policies either for fear of uncertainty or for self-interest. ”

“ Asia is the most populous region in the world undergoing vibrant economic transformation, which makes the sustainable development issue all the more relevant. As a country well placed to play a bridging role between developed and developing nations, the Republic of Korea hopes to make contribution by hosting this Conference. ”

“ With a view to developing more mature inter-Korean relations in a pragmatic and productive way, the Republic of Korea pursues a policy of mutual benefits and common prosperity. As progress is made in the denuclearization, we stand ready to support economic development in the North. ”

“ Rather, what we need is a green and pro-poor growth.
Climate change on which the future of humanity so critically depends is now looming larger than ever as a global challenge. Adverse impacts of climate change are threatening the very foundation of MDGs, inter alia, by affecting agriculture, upon which the livelihood of many depends in the developing world, and by the increasing climate-related natural disasters, which are hitting hard on the most vulnerable Bottom Billion as in the case of Typhoon Nargis. ”

“ While the rapid growth experiences of Korea and other countries have served as a useful reference for many developing countries, we should move beyond the conventional economic growth approach of “Grow First, Clean up Later.” ”

“ The global food crisis is another factor contributing to instability, by spreading the population affected by poverty and starvation. It is also threatening to reverse many of the gains we have achieved thus far in the development field. ”

“ The Republic of Korea has provided humanitarian assistance to countries facing food crises. I am pleased to inform you that the Republic of Korea, in addition to its assistance to the DPRK, has decided to offer 100 million US dollars over the next 3 years for emergency food aid and for assistance to strengthen the agricultural capacities of developing countries. ”

“ As for the Security Council, in order to better fulfill its mandate of maintaining international peace and security, the Council needs to be reformed to ensure more representativeness, accountability, and efficiency. ”