President Moon Jae-in held a working luncheon with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Gangneung, Gangwon-do Province, this morning.

Secretary-General Guterres is making an official visit to Korea February 7-10 to attend the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

President Moon welcomed him by saying that today’s meeting between them was already the third one, adding he was very pleased and delighted as if meeting an old, like-minded friend.

President Moon and Secretary-General Guterres discussed matters involving the Korean Peninsula, including a peaceful resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue, and ways to work together to solve such pending global issues as sustainable development, the migrant crisis and climate change as well as measures to advance Korea-United Nations relations. 

Secretary-General Guterres’s visit to Korea is expected to help spread the U.N.’s ideals and spirit of inclusiveness and solidarity throughout the entire world beyond the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia, along with the PyeongChang Olympics’ message of peace to help bring the two Koreas and other countries together. 

President Moon highlighted his commitment to exerting utmost efforts to ensure that the momentum of inter-Korean talks built on the occasion of the PyeongChang Olympics would be sustained to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue and bring peace to the Korean Peninsula.

President Moon said that the Secretary-General`s continued support and various undertakings at the level of the United Nations had played a significant role in creating an atmosphere for peace on the occasion of the PyeongChang Olympics. The Olympic Truce Resolution was adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in November 13, 2017, and the U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs visited North Korea December 5-8 last year. The President requested continued support in the days to come.    

In response, the U.N. Secretary-General said he hoped that a window of opportunity would be opened at the PyeongChang Olympics through which enhanced diplomatic endeavors could be exerted for the denuclearization of the North, as President Moon mentioned. Noting that the United Nations` power and capacities are limited, however, the U.N. Secretary-General said the U.N. fully supported all efforts for the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the enhancement of security in the region. He proposed a toast to Korea, especially to the happiness of the Korean people, the success of all President Moon`s efforts for inter-Korean talks and the advent of the day when united efforts of the whole world achieve peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.  

President Moon said the United Nations was emphasizing the importance of peace, human rights, sustainable development and people, adding that these were consistent with what his Administration aims for. In this regard, President Moon laid stress on taking a leading role in promoting democracy and peace in the international community, building upon the experience of breathing a new hope to the world’s democracy through the candlelight revolution. 

President Moon said Korea’s role and status in the global community continued to grow but a relatively smaller number of Korean people were working for international organizations such as the United Nations. Then, the President asked for special assistance and interest in capable Koreans, especially young adults and women, joining such organizations and getting high-ranking positions. 

Secretary-General Guterres said Korea was expanding its role and contribution at the U.N. level in line with its higher international status and greater national power, expressing the hope that the U.N. Secretariat would be able to closely cooperate with Korea in all areas, including peace, development and human rights, in the months to come.  

This was Secretary-General Guterres’s first visit to Korea since his inauguration and the first official visit by a U.N. Secretary-General in 10 years. It was also the third meeting between President Moon and the Secretary-General. The meeting became an opportunity to reaffirm deep friendship between President Moon and the Secretary-General and a close tie between Korea and the United Nations. It is also expected to further solidify Korea-U.N. cooperation in the resolution of Korean Peninsula-related issues and joint response to recent developments around the globe.