Statement by H.E. Park Geun-hye
President of the Republic of Korea
26 September 2015

Mr. President, Mr. Secretary-General, Fellow Leaders, ladies and gentlemen,

At this summit, we formally adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development - our vision for the future of humanity.

We have taken an important step towards a society that leaves no one behind and a future of our planet where man and nature coexist in harmony.

I pay tribute to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and all the governments that have worked so hard to succeed in fulfilling the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs) and adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

I believe the future envisaged in the 2030 Agenda should be more than ideas; it should be translated into practical goals that we must be sure to attain, both for our sake and for future generations.

And with a sense of historical responsibility that this is our solemn pledge to the next generation, we all need to do our best to implement in good faith the seventeen development goals set out in the new Agenda.

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

As we implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development going forward, I believe there are a few important points that need to be observed.

First of all, the process of formulating and implementing a development strategy should be people-centered and accord policy priority to achieving balanced development that encompasses the economy, society, and the environment.

In addition, given how the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) represents both an investment in our future and a driving force for social change, countries should fully mobilize every resource at their disposal to implement them, while developing implementation strategies and plans that accord with their national circumstances.

We should also continue to uphold firmly the principles of democratic and efficient governance, the rule of law, human rights and gender equality, all of which serve as the institutional foundations for achieving the SDGs.

Even as governments lead the implementation of the new development agenda, the engagement of the private sector and civil society must also be expanded.

Distinguished Leaders,

The Republic of Korea achieved both industrialization and democratization in merely half a century, amidst the ashes of war and the ordeal of a divided nation.

We will actively draw on that valuable experience as we incorporate the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development into our national development strategy and expand our international contributions.

First, the Republic of Korea will officially launch in 2016 the "Better Life for Girls Initiative" - a health and education ODA program for the most vulnerable girls in developing countries - and plans to provide 200 million dollars over the next five years to support this initiative.

The provision of health and education services to future generations including girls is the surest investment to securing a sustainable future.

Second, we will develop the Saemaul Undong(New Community Movement) - Korea's proven rural development strategy - into a New Rural Development Paradigm to actively support rural progress in developing countries.

We will continue to cooperate with the UNDP and the OECD in order to appropriately share the Saemaul Undong experience and know-how in a way that comports with the current circumstances and realities of developing countries.

Third, the Republic of Korea will steadily expand its financial contributions to help developing countries move further forward and work to improve the quality of its development cooperation.

Korea epitomizes how the effective use of development resources and well conceived cooperation projects can lead to astonishing results.

In this regard, the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation(GPEDC) can offer a useful platform for enhancing the effectiveness of global development cooperation.

The Republic of Korea will continue to support the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation(GPEDC) so that the GPEDC could play a crucial role in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

To heighten the transparency of our development cooperation, we will also formally join the International Aid Transparency Initiative(IATI) next year.

If the 2030 Agenda is to become reality, it is essential to have robust follow-up measures as well as a review mechanism.

As the presiding nation of the ECOSOC, the Republic of Korea will exercise constructive leadership to help build a sound and reliable review framework.

Fellow Leaders, ladies and gentlemen,

What lies ahead of us is a fifteen-year journey toward human dignity and harmony between man and nature.

It is when all of us work together that his journey of humanity toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development can come to fruition.

The Republic of Korea will always be a partner you can count on throughout the journey.

Thank you. /End/