NEW YORK — President Lee Jae-myung, visiting the United States to attend the U.N. General Assembly, met with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the 22nd and said South Korea was "living proof that the United Nations can deliver results in the real world," pledging to expand the country's role in the international community. Guterres responded that "the role of middle powers like South Korea is becoming even more important at a time when division and conflict in the international community are deepening."
Sung Ki-hong, senior presidential secretary for public communication, said in a written briefing that day that Lee had met with Guterres and exchanged views on cooperation between South Korea and the United Nations as well as issues on the Korean Peninsula. The meeting was their third, following a brief conversation on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in June last year and talks during the U.N. General Assembly in September of the same year.
At the meeting, Lee praised Guterres for his leadership over the past decade in upholding the U.N. Charter and the principles of international law and in defending multilateralism. Lee stressed in particular that "South Korea, which achieved industrialization and democratization with U.N. support, is living proof that this year's General Assembly theme of a United Nations that delivers results for all is achievable in reality." He added that South Korea would "continue to play whatever role is needed so that more people can feel the results of the United Nations."
Guterres said South Korea had been making constructive contributions in a range of areas, including international peace and security, sustainable development and the response to the climate crisis. He went on to stress that "the role of middle powers like South Korea is growing more important as division and conflict in the international community deepen."
On issues concerning the Korean Peninsula, Lee said his government was "working to build a Korean Peninsula where the two Koreas coexist peacefully and grow together, based on the understanding that a peace in which there is no need to fight is the surest form of security." He added that he hoped to communicate and cooperate actively with the United Nations in that process. Guterres said he "strongly supports the South Korean government's foreign policy, particularly its policy for peace on the Korean Peninsula." He added that the United Nations would "continue to explore whatever role it can play so that the South Korean government's efforts bear fruit."
