Full text of South Korean president's U.N. address

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NEW YORK, Sept. 23 (Yonhap) -- The following is an unofficial translation of
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's address made Wednesday at the 64th General
Assembly of the United Nations in New York.

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Mr. president, Mr. secretary-general, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen.
At the outset, I would like to extend my sincere congratulations on your
assumption of the Presidency of the 64th Session of the General Assembly. I am
confident that under your able leadership this session will make meaningful
progress.
I also wish to express my appreciation and support to Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon for his tireless efforts in reforming the UN.
(The Republic of Korea and the United Nations)
I would first like to recall the special historic ties between the Republic of
Korea and the United Nations. The contemporary history of the Republic of Korea
began with the UN. The Republic of Korea is a country that has been championed by
the UN.
Following its first democratic elections in 1948, held under the UN's auspices,
the Republic of Korea was recognized by the UN as the only legitimate government
on the Korean Peninsula.
When the Korean War broke out in 1950, only two years after the Republic's
founding, men from 16 UN Member States came to protect the freedom and peace of
the Republic of Korea.
A memorial cemetery for the fallen heroes of the Korean War from 11 countries was
built in Busan, the second largest city in Korea. To this day, the cemetery
serves as a place for the Korean people to commemorate their sacrifices.
At the time of the Korean War, Korea was among the least developed countries in
the world, with per capita income of less than 50 dollars. In only a single
generation, however, Korea has achieved remarkable industrialization and
democratization. Korea has transformed itself from an aid recipient country to a
donor country.
While this achievement is the fruit of the Korean people's toils and tears, it
goes without saying that the invaluable support of the UN has been a great source
of strength. For this reason, Korea has observed the UN Day even before becoming
a Member State in 1991.
(Global Korea, Contributing to the World)
Mr. President, Distinguished Delegates. Now, building on such achievements, Korea
is embarking on a path of actively contributing to the world and humanity.
We hope to help developing countries lift themselves out of famine and poverty,
and to this end, share our past development experiences. While financial support
is important, finding the right development model that befits each country can be
a more fundamental way of overcoming poverty.
Today, the international community is cooperating ever more closely to overcome
an unprecedented financial crisis. As a member of the G20 Troika, Korea is making
utmost efforts to strengthen the free trade regime, which has been the powerhouse
for world economic growth. At the same time, Korea will speak on behalf of the
developing countries.
We are striving to become a "Global Korea," harmonizing our interests with
others', and making our well-being also contribute to the prosperity of humanity.
Distinguished Delegates. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set forth by the
UN should be achieved. Development cooperation and humanitarian assistance need
to increase, especially towards developing countries most severely affected by
the economic crisis.
Korea will fulfill its promise to triple official development assistance (ODA) by
2015. And, in 2011, Korea will be hosting the Fourth High Level Forum (HLF-4) on
Aid Effectiveness. By ensuring its success, we hope to enhance aid effectiveness
and strengthen global partnership for more comprehensive and effective
development cooperation. This will bring a closer to reaching the MDGs by the
target year of 2015.
Today, more than three thousand young Korean volunteers are serving in some forty
countries across the world. They are serving under an initiative named "World
Friends Korea." We will continue to send more volunteers, and focus on sharing
our forte in information, medical, and agricultural technologies, as well as our
experience in developing governance.
Through participation in peacekeeping operations, among others, Korea is also
actively engaging in promoting international peace and security and preventing
terrorism. Currently, Koreans are serving in 13 missions around the world. Since
last March, we have also been taking part in multinational efforts to protect
commercial vessels of all nationalities from acts of piracy in the waters off the
coast of Somalia.
Korea will rise to the expectations of the international community, and as a
responsible member, faithfully do its part in preventing conflicts, countering
terrorism, and responding to natural disasters.
(Promoting Green Growth)
Mr. President, Distinguished Delegates. Responding to climate change has become
an indispensable and urgent agenda for all of humanity. Climate change calls for
the close cooperation of developed and developing countries as well as emerging
industrialized countries. All countries need to take part and prepare.
Korea highly appreciates the UN's role in placing climate change as an urgent
priority agenda and in galvanizing global efforts to address this critical issue.
At the Copenhagen Conference to be held in December this year, the international
community is expected to deliver a very important decision with great
implications for the future. Yesterday, we reaffirmed our commitment to making
the Copenhagen Conference a success.
In this connection, Korea has proposed to establish a Registry of Nationally
Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) of developing countries at the UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat. The purpose of this
Registry is to invite developing countries to voluntarily participate in
mitigation actions and to provide the international support they need.
Korea, while not included in Annex I of the UNFCCC, plans to establish before the
end of this year its target emissions cut for the year 2020. We hope that our
proposals and efforts will contribute to a successful outcome at Copenhagen.
To proactively respond to climate change, Korea has adopted "Low Carbon Green
Growth" as a guiding national vision and development strategy. We are striving to
transform our economic and industrial structures and change our lifestyles to be
more future-oriented. To this end, we are working to enact a Framework Law on
Green Growth and put in place a Five-Year Plan for Green Growth.
Under this Plan, Korea will annually invest about 2 percent of its GDP in green
growth during the next 5 years. This is twice the level recommended by the UN.
The underlying objective of the Low Carbon Green Growth strategy is to promote
sustainable development, by launching a benign cycle in which the economy helps
preserve the environment.
This is the most effective way to address global climate change and overcome the
economic crisis. Through the green growth policy, Korea is responding to the
immediate economic crisis while also preparing for the future by making assertive
fiscal investments in green growth areas.
Development of green technologies and international cooperation are keys to
successfully responding to climate change. In this respect, Korea will strive to
strengthen global partnership in areas including the smart grid technology area,
in which Korea was designated to lead transition technology at the extended G8
Summit last August. Korea hopes to share with the world community the ensuing
benefits of global partnership on green technology.
Mr. President, Distinguished Delegates. Water is the most important resource for
humanity. Unlike fossil energy, it is irreplaceable. Accordingly, I wish to urge
the President of the General Assembly, world leaders and the UN Secretary-General
to have a special interest in water, which is vital for achieving the MDGs.
Today, close to half of the world's population suffers from water shortage, and
most of the climate change-related natural disasters, including inundation,
drought, and sea-level rises, are water-related disasters.
In the course of launching the East Asia Climate Partnership, the Korean
Government reviewed water-related issues. We have come to the conclusion that the
provision of fresh water and the development of policies and infrastructure for
inundation and disaster prevention are the most pressing issues at hand.
Korea possesses cutting-edge water conversion technology. We are also improving
the unified water resource management system. The restoration of Cheong Gae
Cheon, formerly a concrete-covered dry stream in Korea's capital, Seoul, has
provided over 10 million residents with a pleasant place to rest. This
environment-friendly, greening project has helped the city become more attractive
and overcome the "heat island phenomenon."
Based on such experiences in water-related projects, Korea is now launching a
restoration project of the four major rivers that traverse from north to south
and from east to west of Korea. This will not only strengthen the capability to
secure water and control inundation across the country, but also serve as
effective means of preserving the ecosystem of these rivers.
The time has come for the international community to establish a governance
system that effectively addresses water-related issues. I am aware that some 20
UN agencies have been working on water issues, which are complex as they have
bearings on a wide range of areas.
To establish a more effective system of international cooperation on water, I
would like to propose a specialized and unified water management cooperation
initiative.
(Nuclear Non-proliferation and the Korean Peninsula)
Mr. President, Distinguished Delegates. Global peace and security is the
cornerstone for maintaining the prosperity of humanity. Today, global peace is
being threatened by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and
their means of delivery. In response, it is essential that we closely cooperate
and commit ourselves to strengthening the international non-proliferation regime,
including the NPT.
Last October, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon put forward a "five-point proposal
for nuclear disarmament." And in his speech in Prague last April, US President
Barack Obama set out his vision for "a world free of nuclear weapons." I am
hopeful that these initiatives, which embody the hope and desires of humanity,
will enhance a common understanding on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
In particular, a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula must be realized to achieve peace
in Northeast Asia and beyond. Non-proliferation is a prerequisite to paving a
path toward genuine reconciliation and unification on the Korean Peninsula, which
is the only remaining divided region in the world.
The Republic of Korea will take an active part in concerted international efforts
to dismantle the nuclear program of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK). We urge the DPRK to respond to the international community's efforts and
return to the Six-Party Talks without any condition and without further delay.
The commitments laid out in the Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of the
Korean Peninsula of 1992 must be observed. On such a basis, the Republic of Korea
will increase dialogue and exchanges with the DPRK, and strengthen global
cooperation for the development of the DPRK.
Let me emphasize that now is the time for the DPRK to make a decision for
achieving genuine peace on the Korean Peninsula and for its own future.
Mr. President, Mr. Secretary-General. We are confronted with multiple challenges
that can only be effectively addressed through international cooperation. We hope
that a strengthened United Nations will assume a greater role in meeting the
expectations of the international community.
Now, more than ever, it is crucial for the UN to demonstrate efficient and
effective management. We expect the UN reform initiatives in diverse areas to
yield concrete results.
As a responsible Member State of the UN, Korea will continue to closely cooperate
with the UN so that it could play a leading role in advancing the international
community and humanity.
Korea is reaching out to the world community. As a friend, considerate to the
needs of others, we hope to contribute to the global society.
We look forward to closely cooperating with the international community in our
journey to fulfill our responsibilities through the Global Korea vision and the
green growth initiative. Thank you.
(END)