Mme. Marie-Jose Nadeau and Mr. Kim Young-hoon, Co-Chairs of the World Energy Council,
Representatives of the WEC Member Committees,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am delighted to be here with you at this luncheon today. Let me first congratulate Mme. Marie-Jose Nadeau and Mr. Kim Young-hoon on their election to the co-chairs of the World Energy Council. I have every confidence that, under their able leadership, the work and activities of the WEC will continue to grow to new heights in the coming years.

The Republic of Korea is proud to host the 22nd World Energy Congress, the world's largest and most prestigious event in the field of energy. This is the third Congress to be hosted by an Asian country, which is clear evidence that Asia has emerged as a key energy market.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Energy is a prerequisite for the sustainable development of human society. In reality, however, 1.3 billon people, accounting for one fifth of the world population, do not have access to electricity, and 2.8 billion lack access to clean cooking facilities. Every year, nearly 2 million people die from lung disease caused by toxic smoke from traditional fuels, and most of them are women and children. 

The international community has therefore strived to secure accessible, affordable, and environmentally-sensitive energy in order to reduce poverty, enhance sustainable environment, and improve people's lives.

In 2010, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the Initiative for Sustainable Energy for All, which aims to ensure universal access to modern energy services and double the global rate of energy efficiency as well as the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix by 2030. 

At the Rio+20 Conference in 2012, the leaders of 122 countries also recognized that access to modern energy services plays a critical role in poverty eradication, sustainable growth, and fulfillment of basic human needs.

Indeed, securing energy is critical to fuelling economic growth.  Accessible and affordable energy is a key driver in lifting people out of extreme poverty, and the use of environmentally-sensitive energy maintains environmental sustainability.

However, the three core elements of sustainable energy systems -- energy security, energy equity, and environmental sustainability -- that the WEC defines as the 'energy trilemma,' often conflict with one another. Therefore, balancing the three pillars of the trilemma is vital to achieving a balance between economic growth and the protection of the environment. According to the WEC report titled 'World Energy Trilemma,' it is clear that all countries struggle to attain balance across all three dimensions of the energy trilemma. 

As reflected in the conclusion of the report, all stakeholders need to work together to develop a new paradigm for sustainable energy. And such efforts should begin immediately in order to develop a sustainable energy system at an affordable cost.

Korea will continue to cooperate fully with the World Energy Council to this end. The World Energy Council has earned widespread recognition for its devotion to the promotion of the sustainable supply and use of energy in such a way that it brings the greatest possible benefit to humankind as a whole.

In this regard, today's meeting provides an excellent opportunity to share the results of these efforts including studies and reports by the WEC. I understand that you had extensive discussions during the morning sessions. And I wish you another round of productive discussions in the afternoon sessions, further pooling your wisdom on a wide range of issues of common concern.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

There is a saying that “the best way to predict your future is to create it.”  We are gathered here today to create the future we want to see. And here I see strong grounds to believe in a cleaner, safer and more prosperous energy future for all. Let us continue to work together to build a more sustainable energy future.

With these brief remarks, may I now propose a toast to the resounding success of the 22nd Daegu World Energy Congress. /End/