SEOUL, KOREA — The 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit kicks off today, March 26, with world leaders converging on Seoul from all corners of the world to discuss a shared vision towards a peaceful world free of nuclear terrorism at COEX Convention and Exhibition Center. Following the G20 Seoul Summit in 2010 and the High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness held in Busan last year, the eyes of the global community have been once again turning towards Korea to shed light to the largest ever summit outside of the UN General Assembly.
Nuclear Security Summit: a commitment towards humanity, society, and the environment
For the next two days, 58 delegates from 53 nations and 4 international organizations (EU, UN, IAEA, and Interpol) will attend the summit to delve into global nuclear security issues, broaching the topic of reducing the use of weapons-grade nuclear materials and presenting concrete action plans alongside the possible ratification of international agreements relating to nuclear security and its instruments. During the two-day run of the high-level forum, discussions will be held to forge measures for nuclear security and interface it with nuclear safety, concerning issues of safety management at nuclear facilities in the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear accident in March 2011.
“Currently, radioactive materials which can be utilized to make as many as some 130,000 nuclear weapons are scattered around the globe,” said The President -- noticing the risk of nuclear terrorism as the most lethal factor threatening the survival of humanity -- during his biweekly radio and Internet address to the nation on March 19. The Korean leader, who will be chairing the premier global security forum, identified the objective of the NSS as making a world without nuclear weapons by reducing the amount of nuclear materials around the world to a minimum level and tightening control.
“In the face of incessant nuclear threats from North Korea, we have consistently adhered to the unwavering principle of nuclear nonproliferation,” added the Korean head of state. “Besides, we are one of the exemplary countries using nuclear power peacefully. For these reasons, Korea won acclaim from the international community and was given a chance to host this significant Summit.”
Pursuant to the spirit of the inaugural Washington Summit held in 2010 -- which served to proclaim a shared awareness of a need for nuclear security -- the second summit is set to delineate concrete action plans to further advance the implementation of the commitments by adopting the Seoul Communiqué. The final outcome is expected to deliver practical security measures encompassing ways to enhance government control over radioactive substances and reinforcing multilateral cooperation to prevent illegal trafficking of nuclear materials.
The participating leaders start the official summit schedule this afternoon with a welcoming reception and a working dinner at COEX, followed by working sessions and a working lunch the next day. On March 27, a closing press conference will be held by the president of the Republic of Korea at 5 PM. The summit will draw to a close with a special dinner accompanied by cultural performances.
Korea to host a relay of bilateral summits on the margins of the Seoul NSS
Another milestone of the NSS lies in broadening the scope of Korea’s role as a contributing member of the international community through diplomacy and consolidating bilateral high-level cooperation with participating nations on the occasion of the largest summit focused on a single topic in history.
Starting with the Korea-Thailand summit held on March 24, The President is projected to hold a relay of bilateral meetings with 25 heads of state and EU representatives through March 29 -- including those with heads of state making their first-ever visit to the host country, such as Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Chilean President Sebastian Pinera, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
“Most of the participating nations expressed their hope to hold a bilateral meeting with the president on the sidelines of the Seoul summit,” announced Cheong Wa Dae on March 20. The office added that the countries were selected based on diverse factors, such as current affairs, matters of common interest, anniversaries of diplomatic ties, and the first visit to Korea since taking office.
The President is set to discuss with the respective nations ways to further consolidate opportunities for cooperation in various fields ranging from international security, economic governance, free trade to green growth and climate change alongside exchanges of opinions on political issues regarding North Korea and the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula.
In addition, heads of state from Indonesia, United States, India, Thailand and Vietnam are paying an official state visit on this occasion, fostering closer ties through a series of meeting with the political and economic leaders of Korea.
On March 25, The President and the president Barack Obama held the first Korea-U.S. summit since the death of Kim Jong-il. The two leaders evaluated the increased scope of the Korea-U.S. alliance that has been further consolidated since the KORUS FTA entered into effect on March 15, and agreed to strengthen cooperation toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
The President is set to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev today to discuss issues of the Korean Peninsula alongside Korea-China free trade and the PNG project to build gas pipelines from Russia to South Korea.
Subsequent to the closing of the NSS, the President meets with President Herman Van Rompuy of the European Council and President José Manuel Durão Barroso of the European Commission on March 28 to discuss free trade between Korea and the EU and North Korea matters.
“A series of bilateral summits held on the sidelines of the NSS will further deepen the diplomatic relations with key partners of the international community and consolidate our endeavoring efforts towards peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and the world,” said Cheong Wa Dae.
