(Unofficial translation)

I have attended the United Nations General Assembly three years in a row. That’s because a growing number of issues require us to convey our will to the international community and act in concert.

In 2017, the first year of my attendance, our urgent task was to open the door for dialogue to defuse the military tension on the Korean Peninsula that had escalated to the point where the crisis of looming war was discussed. The United Nations named denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula a priority issue for 2018. Its Olympic Truce resolution provided a tremendous boost for hosting the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games as a successful peace Olympics.

What has been achieved through the inter-Korean and North Korea-U.S. summits has given people around the world hope that dialogue could create peace. Last year’s U.N. General Assembly served as a venue to further increase international support for the peace process on the Korean Peninsula.

This year, I came to the U.N. General Assembly with two goals. 

The first goal was to show our commitment to fulfilling our responsibility to reciprocate even more than the favors Korea has received so far from the international community. In the course of Korea emerging as a middle power after overcoming the ravages of war, the United Nations has provided us with immense assistance. Korea has achieved significant growth sufficient enough for it to now play numerous roles. We will do all that we can to play our part in multilateral efforts for climate action and sustainable development. 

The second goal was to present a new proposal for denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula: transformation of the Demilitarized Zone into an international peace zone as I announced in my address at the 74th session of the U.N. General Assembly. The United Nations could employ this reciprocal measure once North Korea makes sincere efforts to implement denuclearization. Turning the DMZ into an international peace zone is a way to guarantee the security of North Korea and, at the same time, our own security as well. There were positive responses from Secretary-General Guterres and many other representatives of U.N. member states. 

Every time I attend international conferences, I realize where we stand. Our people’s achievements alone have generated the international community’s interest in and expectations for our country. I believe that even peace, economic vitality and reforms can proceed in a more positive direction after going through the growing pains that accompany change. We have yet to reach the stage of a properly functioning country. We ourselves are the only ones who can raise our standing, not others.  

New York is a place where people from all over the world transmit various types of energy. I can sense the power of the United States that leads the world. In terms of dynamism, however, we are not lagging behind. We will turn our hope into reality without fail.