(Unofficial Translation)

Your Excellency President Biden, 
Excellencies, 

At a time when democracy is faced with both domestic and global challenges, I find it meaningful to be able to share my thoughts on democracy with many leaders. I thank President Biden for arranging this great opportunity. 

Humanity, guided by democracy, has achieved a level of prosperity unseen in history. We were once convinced that democracy was in full bloom, dismissing any further calls for democracy as a cliché. 

Such notion, however, is proving to be one of complacency or hubris at best. Democracy had to take down authoritarianism to flourish, yet authoritarian forces, both in and outside our nations, are incessantly rearing their ugly heads. Even in advanced democracies, populism and extremism are gaining ground.  

Along with prosperity come deepening inequality and polarization, which are hindering social integration and engendering a socio-economic crisis. Fake news blind us to the truth, incite hate and hatred and even hold up epidemic control and vaccination efforts, yet democratic institutions are left standing helpless. A paradox of democracy, indeed. 

Now, it is time that we start earnest discussions on how we can safeguard democracy from its destabilizing counterforces. 

Epidemic control can succeed only with voluntary public participation, as vaccination is a safety valve that protects not only those getting shots, but also their neighbors. The Covid-19 pandemic made it all too clear that “individual freedom” must be extended into “freedom for all.” Such should never be a setback for freedom, but rather move our democracy forward to make us all safer and freer. 

Fake news, in particular, erode public trust and stoke distrust, hate and hatred as well as extremism. To figure out how we can keep our fundamental freedom of expression intact whilst fostering self-regulating capacity, the global community needs to pool its wisdom. 

Corruption is also the biggest enemy of democracy. Supremacy of democracy lies in its transparency and fairness. Corruption undermines social transparency and shatters trust in fairness, thereby sickening democracy at its roots.

For the last five years, the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) published by the Transparency International improved rapidly each year for Korea thanks to the enforcement of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, Act on the Prevention of Public Officials’ Conflict of Interest, whistleblower protection system, anti-money laundering laws and other anti-corruption policies.  

In the meantime, the e-government system also played a crucial role as it enhanced innovation in government and transparency in public administration. Korea will share such experiences with the international community, and actively scale up its ODA, especially for e-government initiatives.


Excellencies, 

Korea rose from the ashes of war in just half a century and overcame military dictatorship and authoritarian regimes, thereby becoming one of the most dynamic democracies. To defend against unrelenting authoritarianism, countless Koreans made noble sacrifices and in that process, received much assistance from the international community. Even now, Koreans share in the yearning for democracy of the peoples who are fighting against authoritarianism in their own countries. 

Towards a more robust democracy in the world, Korea stands ready to work together and actively contribute. 

Thank you.