Speech by H.E. Mr. Kap-soo RIM, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Romania, at the “Bucharest Leaders’ Summit: Licence for a Better World”
Excelențele Voastre,
Distinși membri ai Guvernului,
Doamnelor și domnilor invitați,
Este o mare onoare să mă aflu astăzi alături de dumneavoastră, în al doilea an consecutiv, la deschiderea oficială a Conferinței “Bucharest Leaders’ Summit.”
At the outset, I extend my congratulation to Romania on entering Schengen’s air and sea free travel. I would also like to address my warmest congratulation to Romanian people on the 20th anniversary of Romania’s accession into the NATO.
And I am expecting to see the Romanian national football team to prevail in the Euro 2024 which will be held in June. As a foreign envoy in Romania, I can see that Romania is on the rise in every aspect, from its economic vibrancy and enhanced global standing to its substantive contribution to regional peace and security.
Today, I would like to share with you my own thoughts from the international political point of view on how to forge a path leading to a better, safer and more inclusive world amid current tumultuous times. Then, I will briefly touch on the bilateral relations between our two countries, Republic of Korea and Romania and on the ways how to walk together to the path toward a better world as well.
We are at the juncture of a transformative era, grappling with the world’s biggest challenges, from full-scale military invasion, unprecedented level of impact from climate change to economic insecurity and diseases pandemic, a tidal wave of change is unfolding at a much faster pace. The definition of security has expanded beyond warfare and terrorism. Economic, technological and environmental issues have moved to the core of national security agenda.
As you know, we are all inter-connected, not only economically but also politico-militarily. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sent shock-waves across the globe. Security in Europe and security in Asia are inseparable. In today’s world, threats to security do not respect borders and the global risk is broader than traditional security threats. For example, North Korea has provided munitions and short ranged missiles to Russia, in order to be used in the battlefield against Ukraine. An interconnected world means that any local problem can become a global problem and any local solution should grow into a global solution.
Under this head-spinning turn of events, what shall we do?
The first thing to do is uphold our fundamental values, such as freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. These fundamental values should guide us in navigating this tumultuous period.
Upholding these fundamental values has contributed a lot to the democratization and economic advancement. Numbers speak itself. Romania’s GDP has increased five times after it joined the NATO and European Union. In 2004, Romania’s GDP was 75 Billion USD. In 2007 it was 175 Billion USD, and in 2023 Romania’s GDP recorded 346 Billion USD. Korea was no exception. Korea’s GOP in 1990 was 285 Billion USD. It reached 1.8 Trillion USD in 2023. The GDP of Korea has grown more than six-fold during the past three decades.
As seen in the case of Romania and Korea, the democratization and economic development goes in tandem. The liberalization in politics and economics brought us to current level of economic prosperity and democratic maturity and it will lead us further to prosperity.
In short, the core values of freedom, democracy and rule of law, rule-based international order lie at the heart of the progress of human history. Freedom makes us able to unleash our potential. Democracy ensures the accountability of leaders. The rule of law enhances the transparency and responsibility. And the rule-based international order protects sovereignty, preserve peace and curb excessive use of power, and enables international trade and investment;
The second is the absolute necessity to be aligned with ‘friends and partners’. We have to forge a coalition of friends, partners, and allies who share the same values and perspectives. Alliance of Values and Alliance in Action are the key words my President has put forward in his addresses at the NATO Summit and UN General Assembly last year. This is one of the keys for opening a new path away from today’s troubled moments. We don’t want ourselves and our children to leave in a world which is governed by the law of jungle, an anarchical society. We don’t see the world as ‘to eat or be eaten’.
As new security challenges destroy not only the physical domain but also they severely undermine democracy, market economy and rule-based international order, the traditional military alliance should evolve into an alliance of values. For example, NATO is also a political alliance based on shared values.
Freedom, democracy, the rule of law and human rights, these are the values that bond us together. Together we would pursue not only the security, but also the liberty, dignity and prosperity of our citizens and our children. Cu o floare, nu se face primăvară.
Stimați invitați, Distinguished Guests,
Against this backdrop, let me touch on the bilateral relations between Korea and Romania. We should strive to heighten and strengthen our bilateral relations in all areas. The reasons are simple:
First, we share the same fundamental values and perspectives.
Second, we share similar geopolitical surroundings. The Republic of Korea is situated at the northern tip of the free world in Northeast Asia, while Romania stands at the eastern flank of the free world in Europe. Both Seoul and Bucharest are at the forefront of the free world.
Third, we share the same alliance and partners. Korea is an ally of the United States, a strategic partner of the European Union, and a global partner of NATO. Needless to say, Korea and Romania have been strategic partners since 2008.
On one side, Korea is the world’s 10th largest economy and ranked 6th in trade volume. Korea ranked second in terms of per capita R&D investment. We have cutting-edge technologies. On the other side, Romania is acting as a pivotal player in this region and in the Black Sea area. Romania is leading initiatives for regional cooperative security and management of maritime routes, and is the main bridge linking the Black Sea to the European continent. Ukrainian grain is exported through Romania’s Danube Delta, going through Tulcea and Sulina channel all the way down to Constanța.
Last year’s ‘Three Seas Initiative’ well illustrates the geo-economic importance of Romania in providing a bridge for European capital and resources. The Three Seas’ signature project, ‘Rail-2-Sea,’ will link the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea. The highway projects will connect from Greece, up to Lithuania and the Baltics, with Romania at the center of it.
As our countries strive to deepen our cooperation in all areas, we can contribute together in building a society in which our children can lead a life of dignity, a life of achieving a full potential, a life free from all kinds of coercion and unjustness.
In a world heading towards a transformative new order, partners sharing the same values and perspective should unite even more closely. In this sense, Korea and Romania are perfectly suited to forge a true strategic partnership in every field. We should further consolidate our friendship as we walk down the road together.
Mulțumesc! Thank you!”
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