1. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, at the invitation of the Korea Society, delivered a keynote speech themed “Korea-US Alliance: Destined to Shape the Future” at the Korea Society’s annual dinner held in New York on September 25.

° This year’s dinner brought together some 500 figures from various sectors of the US, including politics, government, businesses, academia and media. The attendees included Chairman and President Thomas Hubbard and Mark Minton of the Korea Society, incumbent and former Assistant Secretaries of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel and Christopher Hil, respectively, and former Commander of the US Forces Korea Walter Sharp.

2. In his speech, Minister Yun took note of advances in the ROK-US alliance over the last six decades and presented a concrete blueprint for the next six decades of the ROK-US alliance shaped upon the trust-building process on the Korean Peninsula, the Northeast Asia peace and cooperation initiative and the pursuit of peace and prosperity of the global community -- the three common visions for the alliance that President Park Geun-hye proposed in her address before the joint session of the US Congress in May 2013.

° Minister Yun’s speech carried significance as one delivered to the Korea Society – one of the most important supporters for the ROK-US relations – just one week ahead of the 60th anniversary of the ROK-US alliance, which falls on October 1, 2013.

3. Minister Yun, underscoring the need for North Korea to change, urged it to show sincerity for denuclearization talks. He added that for this to happen, the ROK and the US should continue putting strong pressure on North Korea and conducting robust diplomacy in cooperation with China and the rest of the international community.

4. Minister Yun also stressed that the ROK government is pursuing the Northeast Asia peace and cooperation initiative in a bid to overcome the “Asian Paradox” and establish peace and stability in the region. He added that the initiative does not run counter to the objectives of the ROK-US alliance, will encompass all of the interested parties in the region and will not replace any ongoing efforts to promote cooperation in the region.

5. Minister Yun voiced his hope that the realm of the ROK government’s “trustpolitik” will be expanded, thereby ultimately playing a role in promoting peace and freedom around the world. He also expressed his hope that the ROK, building upon its successful global partnership with the US, will serve as an “agent of trust” and a “proliferator of happiness” to the world.

6. Concluding his speech, Minister Yun noted that with the situations on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia and the rest of the world undergoing rapid changes, “instead of waiting for the changes to come, we will make changes.” He suggested that the ROK and the US work toward an alliance that will: help to bring a free and unified Peninsula; stand as a pillar of cooperation in Northeast Asia; and spread peace and freedom around the world, drawing a good response from the attendees.

7. Meanwhile, the Van Fleet Award presented during the Korea Society’s annual dinner was conferred to the ROK and US diplomats stationed in each other’s countries this year in recognition of their contribution to the ROK-US alliance over the last six decades. ROK Ambassador to the US Ahn Ho-young and US Ambassador to the ROK Sung Kim received them on behalf of the diplomats of the two countries. 


                  Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

* unofficial translation