(Unofficial Translation)

I welcome Secretary-General Mathias Cormann on your visit to Korea and Cheong Wa Dae. I congratulate you once again on your election as the OECD Secretary-General – the first to hail from an Asia Pacific country.

The Second Southeast Asia Regional Program Ministerial Conference of the OECD will begin this afternoon. I wish the Conference success. I am pleased that Korea has been able to contribute to enhancing cooperation between the OECD and Southeast Asia as the Co-Chair of the SEARP Steering Group over the past four years.

Korea attaches great importance to ASEAN and sees it as a strategic partner. In particular, the Korean Government has significantly strengthened cooperation with ASEAN on the foundation of our New Southern Policy that has been implemented since 2017.

The theme of this year’s Ministerial Conference – People-centered future: Partnership for a smarter, greener and more inclusive ASEAN – is the spirit that ASEAN and Korea have jointly promoted so far. As it is a vital spirit not only for cooperation between the OECD and ASEAN but also for global recovery strategies in the post-COVID-19 era, I hope that the OECD will play a greater role in helping the world move in that direction.

It is very meaningful that Korea assumed the role of Vice-Chair for the second part of the 2021 OECD Ministerial Council Meeting last year as it marked the 25th anniversary of our accession to the OECD. Korea will always do its utmost to fulfill roles commensurate with its position. 

Thank you.