열린장관실

                                                  Luncheon Remarks 
                                                 by H.E. Yun Byung-se 
                              Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea 

                                         Luncheon for EU Diplomatic Corps 
                                                  October 21, 2013


Your Excellencies,
Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Let me begin by thanking Ambassador Kozlowski (코슬로프스키) for arranging this luncheon, and everyone here for coming today. I am very grateful to be in your company.

For me, there are many reasons to be grateful for this luncheon. Let me just mention two.
First, it feels very good to be among old friends. Personally, I’ve wanted to have this kind of gathering much sooner, but my schedule – I’ve been out of the country for 3 of the last 4 weeks – made it an impossible task.

Second, the timing of this luncheon could not have been better. Last week, many of you were hosting delegations from home visiting Seoul for the Conference on Cyberspace. I myself had a series of meetings with Finnish, Swedish, British, Estonian, and Hungarian counterparts, as well as EU’s Deputy Secretary General for External Action Service.

My Prime Minister is currently visiting Denmark and tomorrow he will be in Finland, and President Komorowski (코모로프스키) of Poland will be arriving in Seoul later today for the summit meeting with President Park Geun-hye tomorrow.

And of course, President Park herself will begin her first European visit in less than 2 weeks, which I would touch upon later in my remarks. In fact, immediately following this luncheon, I am headed to the Blue House to report to President Park on the progress of the preparation of her visit.

So, I am not exaggerating when I say, for Korea, the month of European diplomacy has begun! And I have you – especially you, Ambassador Kozlowski – to blame for the hectic schedule over the next few weeks!

Dear Friends,

As you know, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and the EU. In the words of Confucius, 50 years is a period when one comes to understand the divine intention of the heaven – 지천명(知天命).

Looking back at the past 50 years of growth and maturity in our relationship, I think it is safe to say that Korea and the EU – we were destined by the intention of the heaven to be partners. Perhaps in other words, we are “natural partners.”

Korea is a middle-power country, having achieved a remarkable economic development and democratization, well placed to play a bridging role between developed and developing countries.


The EU, with 28 member states and a population of five hundred million, has grown into the largest economic bloc in the world. Perhaps more importantly, in the post-Cold War order of multipolar world, the EU firmly stands as one of the pillars sustaining the international order, playing an important role as the advocator of common universal values. From Afghanistan to Iran and most recently in Syria, the EU’s unique role was very much highlighted.

Over the past 50 years, Korea has been a trusted partner and dependable supporter of the EU in this regard. Sharing universal values of humanity, Korea and the EU have matured into natural partners working closely together to address a wide range of global issues.

Dear Friends,

The new Korean government has set “the expansion of Eurasian cooperation” as one of its key foreign policy agenda. As President Park outlined in her keynote speech at Eurasia Cooperation Conference last Friday, Korea wishes to begin a new era of cooperation for peace and prosperity with Europe. I look forward to working closely with all of you to bring this vision into reality.

As a part of this effort, President Park Geun-hye will visit France, the UK, Belgium, and the EU from November 2 to 8, marking the start of her summit diplomacy with the EU.

It should also be noted that the President’s visit to Europe in the first year of the term is unprecedented. It is a clear demonstration of the Korean government’s strong will and expectations to further strengthen its relationship with the EU.

As President Park’s European tour is taking place in midst of heightened expectations from both sides for increasing cooperation, the Korean government seeks to use this opportunity:

━ to deepen the relationship based on trust, as Europe represents the best partner for Korea in pursuit of common goals;

━ to come up with concrete measures to realize the policy of creative economy as well as ways to achieve common prosperity through substantive cooperation with advanced economies of Europe;

━ to build a 'Future-Oriented Partnership' through which we will work together for the development and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and the world.

Korea and the EU now stand at a historic juncture. Based on the strong bond of friendship that we have formed over the past 50 years, we are now looking toward the next 50 years to further develop and deepen our relationship. I hope that President Park’s visit will be an opportunity for us to build a new framework toward the next 50 years.

Dear Friends,

Beyond our bilateral relations, Korea and the EU are also working closely together in dealing with issues on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia.
The EU overcame the discord and conflict to achieve the German reunification and European integration.

These European experiences may serve as valuable references in addressing the issues on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia, where the pain of the divided peninsula and the mistrust among region’s neighbors still persist.

In this regard, the Korean government is making sincere efforts to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula and foster a spirit of cooperation in Northeast Asia.

For its part, the EU has exerted consistent efforts to address the North Korean nuclear and human rights issues, all the while maintaining a relationship of dialogue with the North.

This is a valuable political and diplomatic asset for the EU which can be used to exert influence on the North. In this regard, I would like to ask that the EU continue to make a constructive contribution in the process of ushering in a new era on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia based on its unique role vis-à-vis North Korea.

Dear Friends,

Like the maxim, “a gram of action weighs heavier than a ton of words,” I would like to ask all Ambassadors here today to play an even more active role to ensure that all the potential for cooperation between Korea and the EU is fully realized to the mutual benefit for both sides.

The European virtues of rational way of thinking, placing high value on trust, positive outlook on life, and uncompromising spirit of hope have long served to enrich the history of the world.

And I believe that these virtues, shared by both Korea and the EU today, will allow us to make meaningful contributions toward building a happier global village and bringing prosperity for all mankind.

Let me propose a toast to our enduring friendship!
Cheers!