[Unofficial Translation] 

Secretary General Stoltenberg and distinguished leaders,

It is a pleasure to attend the NATO Summit for the third consecutive year, following the Madrid Summit in 2022 and the Vilnius Summit in 2023.

It is especially meaningful to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the founding of NATO here in Washington, D.C., where both NATO and the ROK-U.S. alliance came into being.

Distinguished leaders,

In the midst of a global polycrisis, the security of Europe and of Asia could be likened to two sides of the same coin.

The cooperation between NATO and its Indo-Pacific partners, who share universal values, is an answer to the call of our times for a free and prosperous world. Our cooperation has become a prerequisite for paving the way to a sustainable future.

If we fail to fend off significant challenges to the freedom, peace and rule of law that we have nurtured with great devotion, attempts to upend the status quo by illegal means will continue to confront us.

The war in Ukraine and military cooperation between Russia and North Korea pose a threat to the security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific region simultaneously.

One reason why the war in Ukraine persists, in spite of the support efforts from NATO allies and partners here, is the presence of factions such as North Korea that are prolonging the conflict.

Furthermore, the military and economic assistance that Russia may provide to North Korea would exacerbate security threats on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific region.

We must stand firm in greater unity and solidarity for the expeditious restoration of peace in Ukraine as well as for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. Moreover, in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions, we should thoroughly prevent all efforts that contribute to North Korea’s military buildup, including military cooperation between Russia and North Korea.

As Russia is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, its military and economic cooperation with North Korea – a country subject to Security Council sanctions – in violation of Security Council resolutions is an act in itself that undermines the foundations of the UN system.

Russia must fulfill its due responsibilities and obligations as a permanent member of the Security Council, the last bastion of international peace.

Fellow leaders,

Alongside security cooperation to restore peace in Ukraine, we must also strengthen our solidarity to support Ukraine’s reconstruction and recovery.

The Republic of Korea will continue to provide and further expand assistance essential to the Ukrainian people in various areas such as energy, healthcare, education and infrastructure.

Notably, we remain committed to providing security assistance, humanitarian aid and support for reconstruction on the basis of the Ukraine Peace and Solidarity Initiative, which I announced during my visit to Ukraine in July of last year. Next year, we will double our contributions to the NATO Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine Trust Fund compared to this year.

Fellow leaders,

Hostile acts that exploit AI and new digital technologies, such as cyberattacks and the spread of disinformation, loom large as new global security threats.

With indiscriminate attacks on digital infrastructure of countries and societies such as satellite communications systems becoming increasingly common, our digital solidarity must be further strengthened.

I welcome the decision made during this summit by NATO and its Indo-Pacific partners to push for Flagship Projects that focus on the areas of cyber defense, disinformation and advanced technologies.

In line with these projects, the Republic of Korea will proactively work with NATO to come up with an action plan to bolster cybersecurity.

This coming September, the Republic of Korea plans to host the Allied Power EXercise (APEX) to help NATO and its partner countries strengthen their capabilities against cyber threats.

In addition, the Republic of Korea, together with the Netherlands, will host the Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Military Domain (REAIM) Summit to spearhead the establishment of international norms for AI, one of the Flagship Projects between NATO and its Indo-Pacific partners.

The Republic of Korea will continue to help bolster the defense capabilities and expand defense industry supply chains of NATO and its partner countries.

In particular, I hope that cooperation between the two sides in the aerospace defense industry will further expand based on the agreement on mutual recognition for military airworthiness certification between the Republic of Korea and NATO, which was concluded during this summit.

Furthermore – to effectively respond to mutual threats – we will further facilitate information sharing between the Republic of Korea and NATO regarding the North Korean weapons used on the battlegrounds in Ukraine.

Fellow leaders,

NATO’s 75-year history has taught us an important lesson.

Peace without freedom is merely an empty word, and freedom and peace can only be safeguarded when backed by robust strength.

The sound freedom we achieve together will bring us greater prosperity and peace.

I hope that NATO and its Indo-Pacific partners will forge stronger solidarity to usher in a thriving future of prosperity both for ourselves and for generations to come.

Thank you.