서울국제포럼 The Seoul Forum for International Affairs(SFIA)

*영문*

The SFIA Ambassadors’ Forum 1214-2022

U.S-ROK Alliance

 Speaker:  Philip. S. Goldberg (opning remark Myungja Kim)

1214-2022 SFIA Ambassadors’ Forum: HE Ambassador Philip Goldberg  

Opening Remarks by President Myung Ja Kim:

On behalf of the Seoul Forum for International Affairs, I’d like to extend a warm welcome and appreciation to all of you for gracing today’s forum with your presence. We are delighted to continue to host the Ambassadors’ Forum this year and beyond as our premier platform where key stakeholders in international relations and other pertinent areas can exchange their valuable insights on the various challenges facing us and the opportunities that lie ahead.

Your Excellency, it’s a great honor to have you as our special guest today.  With the holiday season just around the corner, we are holding the last of the Ambassadors’ Forum series scheduled for this year. Thank you very much for accepting our invitation.

It is no exaggeration to live in a hyper-connected and hyper-changing world fraught with grave uncertainties and multiple risks.  Against this backdrop, the ongoing war in Ukraine has placed additional strain on an already stressed global supply chain and the precarious security situation in the region and beyond.

As we speak, a growing list of critically important and cross-cutting global issues need our collective and urgent attention. They include the climate crisis, competition for technological hegemony, widening income inequality, and the so-called the 4^th Industrial Revolution, to name a few.

As responsible global community members, we ought to address such challenges promptly and effectively to ensure human civilization's sustainability and prosperity. It is essential to understand that doing so requires us to continue our close cooperation and collaboration at the bilateral, regional, and international levels because it behooves us to make the right decisions for the responsibility accompanying them.

In this regard, I am happy to note that the steadfast ROK-US alliance forged for the last seven decades exemplifies a flourishing bilateral relationship based on mutual respect and understanding through people-to-people ties. The ROK-US summit held in Seoul on May 21st this year highlighted such an excellent relationship. As we are aware, President Yoon Seok yeol and President Joe Biden took advantage of the summit to share their clear vision for transforming our alliance into a “Global Comprehensive Strategic Alliance,” which is global in scope and comprehensive in content. Their shared vision will undoubtedly add impetus to the Yoon administration’s initiative to serve as a “Global Pivotal State” as Korea moves forward with the U.S. to continue making significant contributions toward peace, freedom, and prosperity.

It is also worth noting that the two leaders have paved the way for our future-oriented relationship to evolve into an economic security and technology alliance, further building on the win-win success achieved through the KORUS FTA, which marked its 10th anniversary in March this year. I sincerely hope that our commitment to constructively working together within the newly launched Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) will grow ever flourishing with time toward peace and prosperity. 

Of course, challenges and difficulties in a rapidly changing environment may arise from time to time. Under these circumstances, it is essential to continue to stand for the values we hold dear: among other things, our commitment to democracy, rules-based international order, the free market economy, the protection of human rights, and ecological and environmental protection toward humanity’s sustainable development.  Such an approach should also apply to North Korean nuclear threats.

As things stand, we are in murky waters. President John F. Kennedy once said, [Quote] “We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light a candle that can guide us through the darkness to a safe and sure future.” [End Quote] This reminds me of our common catchphrase: That is, let’s go together (함께 갑시다) in Korean to successfully navigate choppy waters as we are moving forward to a brighter and better future!

I genuinely hope for a meaningful exchange of views and ideas this morning. Thank you again, Ambassador Goldberg, for taking the time out of your busy schedule! I also thank the Hyosung Corporation for its generous support in making the AF possible. Thank you.