열린장관실

Good morning. It is a pleasure to be here with all of you. 

I would like to begin by expressing my deep appreciation to the Sherpas and Sous-Sherpas who have traveled to Korea to make preparations for the 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit. I also extend my gratitude to the distinguished members of the diplomatic corps who are attending this meeting. 

We all have high expectations for this round of the Sous-Sherpa Meeting because this Sous-Sherpa Meeting will mark a substantial step for ensuring the success of next year’s Summit. 

It is my understanding that you will hold initial discussions on the contents of the Outcome Document of the Seoul Summit. I sincerely hope that you will be able to make meaningful progress to this end by sharing your insights, pooling your wisdom, and embracing the true spirit of cooperation. 

As you are aware, President Lee Myung-bak sent out invitations on May 30th to the distinguished Leaders of your countries and organizations to attend the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit. President Lee greatly looks forward to greeting all the Leaders at the Summit next March.Please convey my President’s sincere wish to the office of your Leader. 

The Seoul Nuclear Security Summit has three key objectives: to reaffirm and consolidate the political will generated at the Washington Nuclear Security Summit; to further advance the implementation of the commitments made at the Washington Summit; and to contribute to the realization of the key objectives of nuclear security. 

The Korean Government envisages a result of the Summit that the Leaders of the participating countries reach an agreement on concrete and practical measures to achieve a world free of nuclear and radiological terrorism. 

To this end, I believe that the Seoul Communique, which we hope will be adopted at next year’s Summit, needs to set out a practical vision and concrete action plans for nuclear security. 

Distinguished Participants, 

As recognized by the international community, the Republic of Korea is an exemplary country in exercising peaceful uses of nuclear energy and consistently upholding non-proliferation norms, despite facing a serious nuclear threat from North Korea. 

I believe it is meaningful to hold the Nuclear Security Meeting in Korea since we have achieved both ‘nonproliferation’ and ‘peaceful uses of nuclear energy,’ which are the two essential elements of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). 

I hope that the Seoul Summit will not only serve to strengthen the norms of nuclear security, but also foster greater international confidence in nuclear energy. 

As was the case of the Chernobyl accident in 1986, the Fukushima nuclear accident this March has been a stark reminder of the crucial importance of nuclear safety. It made us give deep thought on the future of nuclear energy. I firmly believe that from crisis comes opportunity and that this will be the case of the Fukushima incident. 

Due to such an experience, the international community will make greater efforts to find safer and more reliable ways to use nuclear energy. Such efforts have already begun in the IAEA, UN, and other international fora. 

The Seoul Nuclear Security Summit next year will provide a useful opportunity to discuss synergies and interface between nuclear security and nuclear safety. Leaders from participating countries will address the various implications of nuclear safety and how to help in advancing the goals of nuclear security. With the mutual reinforcement of nuclear security and nuclear safety, peaceful uses of nuclear energy will be further promoted. 

Distinguished Participants,

The Nuclear Security Summit is a forum at the highest level to muster our wisdom and to formulate effective responses in addressing the nuclear security issues faced by the international community. We achieved a great deal at the Washington Summit, and the Seoul Summit will further advance the progress on nuclear security as we build upon the success of the Washington Summit. We are all on the same course, sailing in the same direction, embracing the same vision. 

Since the outcomes of today’s and tomorrow’s discussions will eventually lead to the final outcome of the Seoul Summit, the in-depth and substantive discussions held here will play a vital role for the success of the Summit. I would therefore like to ask you to be proactive and forward-looking in your deliberations. 

With this Sous-Sherpa Meeting, the process of the Seoul Summit is now fully under way. And I believe that your efforts and hard work will serve as a cornerstone for next year’s Summit. 

For the preparations for the Seoul Summit, my Government established an inter-agency Preparatory Commission headed by the Prime Minister last October, and this March launched a task force which will look after the overall logistics of the Summit. The preparations are now fully under way. 

The Government of the Republic of Korea will make every effort to make the Seoul Summit a great success. President Lee Myung-bak is greatly looking forward to meeting all the distinguished Leaders from participating countries at the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit next March. 

Thank you for your attention.