President Waqa(왕가),
Prime Minister Puna,
Vice President Onorio,
Excellencies and distinguished delegates,

Forty four years ago, in 1970, Korea and a Pacific island country first set up diplomatic ties. From then on, we set sail on a journey which has brought us all together in Seoul today. During this voyage, the official ties have grown to cover almost all Pacific Island Countries, or PICs (피아이시즈), – most recently with the Cook Islands in February last year.

While the vast ocean between us took us apart for some time, even that could not prevent us from coming closer. So, three years ago, we had the first Korea and Pacific Islands Foreign Ministers’ meeting, and since then two Senior Officials meetings (SOMs). But already, these are taking up the place as the core consultative mechanism between us.

This is the backdrop of today’s second Ministerial Meeting. I welcome all of you who have crossed the world’s widest and deepest ocean to come over here. Our mission this morning is to collect our insights, wisdom and determination to strengthen our collaboration, and to build an inclusive and enduring Pacific Partnership.
Distinguished delegates,

Many figures, including Professor Paul Kennedy, a Yale historian, predicted the coming of the Asia-Pacific age in the 21st century. Two weeks ago, as I attended a string of summits, from APEC, to the East Asia Summit to the G20, all held in this region, I felt these predictions were coming into reality.

Of course, such changes do not happen by themselves – our determination and drive can make all the difference. This is why the Korean government has been working hard to foster connectivity and cooperation. We are trying to bridge the wider Asia-Pacific region – not only in our part of the world, Northeast Asia, but also in the rest of the Pacific.

Needless to say, the Pacific Islands are integral parts in such efforts. Geographically, the PICs lie at the heart of the Pacific Ocean. Your vast EEZs are blessed with an abundance of marine resources, minerals, as well as renewable energy resources. You also have outstanding natural beauty and a distinctive culture.

So Korea stands ready to forge a closer partnership with the PICs. I am sure this would result in a positive and productive network of cooperation.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today, we will take stock of where we are and discuss where we should move. In this regard, I would like to venture three observations on the role of this meeting, and on the agenda for Korea and the PICs.

First, this meeting provides both Korea and the PICs with an excellent opportunity to broaden our diplomatic horizons.

As for the PICs, I understand the PICs have traditionally focused on working with a limited number of countries, including the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Japan and China. But now, as the PICs try to spread their diplomatic wings, I believe Korea would be a perfect partner.

As for Korea, this is all the more so since Korea is actively engaging with many regional groupings, and has a vibrant bilateral, minilateral and multilateral diplomacy. We are already good partners with ASEAN, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab League, the Visegrad Group, the European Union, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the Central American Integration System (SICA). The PICs would be an important part of such a cooperative network. We are committed to working closely with the PICs – and the pillar of this process is the Korea-PIC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

Second, this meeting will lay the groundwork for our mutually beneficial cooperation in economic and other areas.

Korea has an unprecedented track record of achieving political democracy and economic prosperity simultaneously in a short span of time – despite being under-endowed with natural resources and over-supplied with security threats. Unlike other advanced countries, we have gone through all the hardships and tribulations and finally turned from a recipient to a donor of aid.

Now, Korea is all set to share our unique experience and know-how with PICs, to help tackle many challenges faced by PICs, particularly development and climate change. We have continued to raise our aid budget. In this regard, I am pleased to announce our plans to double contributions to the ROK-PIF Cooperation Fund from next year. In addition, we will expand KOICA’s training programs for Pacific Islanders, both in terms of the number of invitees and the selection of courses. Support for the Pacific Island Climate Prediction Services Project is also included in this package too.

On the climate change front, we are now launching the Green Climate Fund (GCF), headquartered in Korea. Back in September, my President pledged up to 100 million dollars for the GCF – this has been followed by pledges of another 9 billion U.S. Dollars from the U.S. and others at the recent G-20 summit and the Berlin pledging conference. These funds are to be used for developing countries dealing with climate change. Korea also led the founding of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). In this regard, I appreciate the PICs’ active participation in the GGGI – Papua New Guinea and Kiribati are founding members, and Fiji joined as a member last April.

On the marine and fisheries front, Korea and the PICs have long been close partners. And we will continue to link up with the PICs to strike a good balance between developing and preserving marine and fisheries resources.

Third, today’s meeting offers a perfect opportunity to launch new modalities of communication and exchanges between us.

In this connection, later on you will have a “talk concert” with Korean students. While the British historian E.H. Carr defined history as a “dialogue between the present and the past,” I would describe the talks between the PICs’ representatives and Korean students as a “dialogue between the present and the future.” I am sure the young Koreans you speak to will discover the amazing potential of the PICs. And I truly hope all of us can find inspiration for the way ahead.

Distinguished delegates,

Before closing, let me quote the words of Robert Louis Stevenson, the writer of Treasure Island and a resident of Samoa: quote, “you cannot run away from weakness; you must sometime fight it out or perish.”

Just like the great explorers who sailed and settled in the islands of the vast Pacific millennia ago, we should muster the courage, wisdom and will to deal with the daunting tasks on our journey. I hope this meeting will be a such forum where we weigh up strategies to overcome obstacles – and reaffirm our partnership for common prosperity.

Thank you.