Seoul, ?11 February 2018?– The President of the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Miroslav Laj?ák, wrapped up a visit to the Republic of Korea today.
In Seoul, ?on 8 February, the President met with H.E. Mr. Lee Nak-yon, Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea. They discussed the deep links between the Republic of Korea and the United Nations; the role of the Olympics? in promoting peace; the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; the transition of the Republic of Korea into a donor country; migration; the Sustainable Development Goals; youth; and water. The President lauded the Republic of Korea for being a global actor and appealed for its continued commitment to the United Nations.
In a separate meeting with H.E. Mr. Chung Sye-kyun, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, the President spoke about the strong ties between the United Nations and Seoul; the Republic of Korea’s efforts to lower tensions on the Korean Peninsula; and the importance of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in fostering harmony and cooperation.
While in Seoul, the President delivered a speech, entitled “The role of multilateralism in a turbulent world,” at the opening keynote session of the Global Engagement and Empowerment Forum on Sustainable Development. That gathering was co-hosted by the Institute for Global Engagement and Empowerment and the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizenship.
In his remarks, the President said, “We need to face a new reality: we no longer live in a world of once-off, or standalone crises. That is why we can no longer rely on once-off, or standalone, solutions.” He added, “The demand for multilateralism will grow… And, when it comes to meeting this demand for multilateralism, the United Nations must lead the charge.”
The President also said, “While we can always work to strengthen the United Nations, we can never replace it. We should work to improve it. But we should not – and we cannot – give up on it. It plays a unique role in our world. A role which billions of people depend on. Because, in short, the United Nations can do things that no one else can.”
On 9 February, the President was in PyeongChang for the XXIII Olympic Winter Games. He participated in the Olympic Torch Relay as a torchbearer, attended the Opening Ceremony and visited the Olympic Village.
Upon receiving an award in PyeongChang from the Truce Foundation of the United States, he said, “Sport is a driver of peace. That is why the United Nations General Assembly is such a strong supporter of the Olympic Games. Seeing the unified Korean team at the Opening Ceremony and visiting athletes from all over the world in the Olympic Village has reminded me that barriers between people can be overcome. And there are things that can unite us all, including the pursuit of excellence.”
The President will be back in the office in New York ?on 12 February.
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For media inquiries, please contact
Brenden Varma, Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly, ?1-212-963-7238, ?1-347-556-3433, ?varmab@un.org.
