By Ham Sang-wook
In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, "If we are to reach real peace in this world, we shall have to begin with children." Indeed, as we are entrusted with the pressing task of shaping a more peaceful and prosperous future for the generations to come, youth engagement and empowerment must undoubtedly be at the heart of our mission.
In this regard, I congratulate The Korea Times and the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (APLN) for successfully co-hosting their first essay contest on the theme: "Youth, Disarmament, and Peace in the Asia Pacific Region." As the level of participation shows, the contest kindled genuine interest among young people around the globe in the disarmament agenda and, more importantly, offered us a valuable opportunity to hear their voices.
While the importance of educating and engaging young people in current affairs has been generally recognized in the United Nations (U.N.), it was only recently that disarmament education has come to the fore. A major development in this regard was when Antonio Guterres, the 9th U.N. Secretary-General, put forward his Agenda for Disarmament titled "Securing Our Common Future" in 2018. With a firm belief in the young generation as the ultimate force for change, he emphasized the importance of establishing a platform for youth engagement as referred to in Action 38 of the Agenda.
In support of the secretary-general's initiative, the Republic of Korea introduced a resolution on "Youth, Disarmament and Non-proliferation" at the First Committee of the U.N. General Assembly last year. The resolution encourages the U.N. and its member states to promote and facilitate youth engagement in this field and to realize the full potential of young people through education. It was adopted by consensus with 84 co-sponsors, which well illustrates the united call of the international community to empower young people.
This is all the more imperative at this critical juncture when consensus in the global disarmament community is eroding in the midst of rising tensions around the world. Persistent non-proliferation challenges, including the North Korean and Iranian nuclear issues as well as repeated chemical attacks as witnessed in Syria and elsewhere, represent challenges in the realm of weapons of mass destruction. Fast-paced technological advances extending into outer space and cyberspace as well as hypersonic missiles and autonomous weapons are becoming new domains of strategic competition, adding another layer to the already complex security environment.
For its part, the Foreign Ministry in July this year hosted a "2020 Youth Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Conference" marking the 50th anniversary of the entry into force of the treaty. Following competitive selection from among university and graduate students in the country, 46 finalists engaged in active debates and laid out their perspectives in a final report with recommendations for ways forward in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
Building on this success, the ministry will be hosting a "Special Youth Session" at the "19th ROK-U.N. Joint Conference on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation" to be held on Dec. 2-4 under the theme of "Disarmament and Non-proliferation Regime in the New Era: New Technologies and New Challenges." With five youth groups from the Republic of Korea and the U.N. taking part, I am confident this session will indeed contribute to fostering a deeper understanding amongst the next generation of emerging challenges.
Finally, achieving complete denuclearization and permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula is an ongoing mission that requires unified and sustained support from the international community. The engagement has stalled in recent months, and we regret that North Korea has yet to return to the negotiating table despite our steadfast and patient efforts to promote dialogue and cooperation. My government nevertheless remains firmly committed to staying the course to build upon the hard-won momentum for progress. In this long journey toward complete denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, we very much count on the steady and unwavering support of the international community and, of course, young people the world over. After all, as the late U.N. Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold once said, "In this field, as we well know, a standstill does not exist; if you do not go forward, you go backward."
Ham Sang-wook is deputy minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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In this regard, I congratulate The Korea Times and the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (APLN) for successfully co-hosting their first essay contest on the theme: "Youth, Disarmament, and Peace in the Asia Pacific Region." As the level of participation shows, the contest kindled genuine interest among young people around the globe in the disarmament agenda and, more importantly, offered us a valuable opportunity to hear their voices.
While the importance of educating and engaging young people in current affairs has been generally recognized in the United Nations (U.N.), it was only recently that disarmament education has come to the fore. A major development in this regard was when Antonio Guterres, the 9th U.N. Secretary-General, put forward his Agenda for Disarmament titled "Securing Our Common Future" in 2018. With a firm belief in the young generation as the ultimate force for change, he emphasized the importance of establishing a platform for youth engagement as referred to in Action 38 of the Agenda.
In support of the secretary-general's initiative, the Republic of Korea introduced a resolution on "Youth, Disarmament and Non-proliferation" at the First Committee of the U.N. General Assembly last year. The resolution encourages the U.N. and its member states to promote and facilitate youth engagement in this field and to realize the full potential of young people through education. It was adopted by consensus with 84 co-sponsors, which well illustrates the united call of the international community to empower young people.
This is all the more imperative at this critical juncture when consensus in the global disarmament community is eroding in the midst of rising tensions around the world. Persistent non-proliferation challenges, including the North Korean and Iranian nuclear issues as well as repeated chemical attacks as witnessed in Syria and elsewhere, represent challenges in the realm of weapons of mass destruction. Fast-paced technological advances extending into outer space and cyberspace as well as hypersonic missiles and autonomous weapons are becoming new domains of strategic competition, adding another layer to the already complex security environment.
Amid such challenges, we place full confidence in new generations with their open and proactive minds, who are free of prejudices and filled with a sense of humanity. Young people have the potential to generate impetus with a fresh perspective that embraces diversity and inclusiveness, thereby ensuring that the international disarmament and non-proliferation machinery continues to have relevance well into the future.
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For its part, the Foreign Ministry in July this year hosted a "2020 Youth Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Conference" marking the 50th anniversary of the entry into force of the treaty. Following competitive selection from among university and graduate students in the country, 46 finalists engaged in active debates and laid out their perspectives in a final report with recommendations for ways forward in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
Building on this success, the ministry will be hosting a "Special Youth Session" at the "19th ROK-U.N. Joint Conference on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation" to be held on Dec. 2-4 under the theme of "Disarmament and Non-proliferation Regime in the New Era: New Technologies and New Challenges." With five youth groups from the Republic of Korea and the U.N. taking part, I am confident this session will indeed contribute to fostering a deeper understanding amongst the next generation of emerging challenges.
Finally, achieving complete denuclearization and permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula is an ongoing mission that requires unified and sustained support from the international community. The engagement has stalled in recent months, and we regret that North Korea has yet to return to the negotiating table despite our steadfast and patient efforts to promote dialogue and cooperation. My government nevertheless remains firmly committed to staying the course to build upon the hard-won momentum for progress. In this long journey toward complete denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, we very much count on the steady and unwavering support of the international community and, of course, young people the world over. After all, as the late U.N. Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjold once said, "In this field, as we well know, a standstill does not exist; if you do not go forward, you go backward."
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