Honorable Speaker Chung Sye-kyun, Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin and distinguished representatives from many countries,

I wholeheartedly welcome you all who came from afar to Korea.

I was wondering how the meeting went this morning. The Prime Minister, my reliable partner, delivered greetings to you on my behalf. I am truly pleased to finally have a chance to meet you here at this luncheon.

I believe that another name for Eurasia is “diversity.” It is true when considering our differences in appearance and language. However, we have one thing in common. That is the fact that the more exchanges and cooperation there are between neighboring countries, the more prosperous we can be together. Shared prosperity in the Eurasian region is the mandate entrusted to us by the peoples of our respective nations.

More than anything else, I ask you all to take interest in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue and provide support to this end. For its part, the Korean Government will also strive to bring about permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula by employing all possible means, including sanctions and dialogue, in cooperation with the international community.

Since taking office last May, I have made efforts to work together with the National Assembly, a crucial partner in steering state affairs. I believe this spirit of collaborative governance also constitutes an indispensable element for shared growth and development in the Eurasian region.

There are numerous tasks that Eurasian nations need to tackle together, such as the establishment of logistics networks and the expansion of information and communications technology infrastructure. International cooperation and close partnerships will be the driving force for opening a new path. I hope on that path, the Meeting of Speakers of Eurasian Countries’ Parliaments will play a significant role. I believe it will be the cradle of peace and prosperity in Eurasia. The Korean Government will spare no effort in this endeavor.

I hope you will be able to accomplish as much as possible while you are staying in Seoul and to have an opportunity to become immersed in Korea’s beauty and charm.

Thank you very much.