Foreign Minister Kim Sung-Hwan, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Korea, delivered a keynote speech at the 67th Session of the UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters on September 28. In his speech, he spoke of the ROK government’s stance on major UN issues, including world peace, human rights and development, as well as the situation on the Korean Peninsula.


Underscoring sexual violence against women in armed conflicts as a grave infringement of human rights, Minister Kim urged the international community to make utmost efforts to draw up measures to put an end to such atrocities and protect women in armed conflicts, provide effective remedies and reparations for victims, and bring the offenders to justice.

Minister Kim stressed that in order for solid peace and stability to be established between nations, sound historical consciousness and heartfelt soul-searching on past wrongdoings are required. Furthermore, he emphasized that international legal procedures and the notion of the rule of law should not be abused with the aim to infringe upon the territorial integrity and sovereignty of other countries, or to distort historical justice.

With regard to the situation on the Korean Peninsula, Minister Kim expressed concern over the threat posed by the North Korean nuclear program and urged North Korea to take concrete measures aimed at denuclearization. Citing denuclearization measures as an avenue to improving the livelihood of its people, the Minister called on North Korea to listen to the international community's call for the improvement of its human rights situation.

Minister Kim solicited the support of UN member states for the ROK’s bid to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2013-2014 term. He explained the plan of the ROK-led Global Green Growth Institute to be launched as a full-fledged international organization this October and expressed the ROK’s willingness to host the Secretariat of the Green Climate Fund.

During his visit to New York on September 24-28 for the UN General Assembly session, Minister Kim met bilaterally with delegates from some 40 countries to win their support for the ROK’s bid to join the UN Security Council.