11/08/1998

Mr. President,

On behalf of the Korean delegation, I would like to begin by extending my congratulations on your election as President of the First World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth. I have every confidence that your outstanding leadership will guide this Conference to a successful conclusion. Allow me also to take a moment to express my deep gratitude to the Government of Portugal for hosting this truly important Conference.

Mr. President,

Young people are one of the main agents transforming the present into a brighter future for us a. We all know that our future rests on the cultivation of sound ideals among our youth and our provision of support for the realization of those very same ideals. Fully cognizant of the need to foster a positive environment where young people are free to develop their vision and achieve their aspirations, the international community has come together on several occasions and adopted a number of resolutions on their behalf in recent years.

In 1995, with the adoption of the "World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond", the UN General Assembly laid down a comprehensive policy framework and set of practical guidelines for national action and international support aimed at improving the overall situation of the young people. As we prepare to enter the 21st century, this Conference presents us with a welcome opportunity to review implementation of the Programme of Action and to reaffirm our commitments to bringing about a better world for our youth.

Mr. President,

Youth are a major human resource for development as well as key agents for social change, economic development and technological innovation. In recognition of their unlimited potential, they should be given greater opportunities to participate in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of policy at both the national and international levels. Such participation will provide them with a gateway to promoting their access to a wide range of development resources and opportunities. In turn, development achieved for and by youth would provide a social basis for their constructive participation in the future.

It is thus encouraging to note that the idea of strengthening synergistic interaction among participation, development and peace is embodied in the "Lisbon Declaration on Youth", which we are expected to adopt at this Conference shortly.

Firmly believing that the Declaration symbolizes the renewed hope of the international community for the realization of those lofty ideals, my delegation reaffirms its unswerving support for the Declaration.

Mr. President,

During the past decade, UN Member States have made great strides toward implementation of the World Programme of Action. With a view to helping the international community achieve its stated goals in 10 priority areas, the Republic of Korea has played an active role in the global efforts for youth-oriented initiatives and has steadily stepped up its efforts at the national level as-well. This includes the introduction of a series of innovative youth policies incorporating the recommendations of the World Programme of Action as well as the basic principles of the UN Charter.

In the past, Korea's youth policy was based on a perception of youth as objects of protection. It is not surprising, then, that such policy had consistently focussed on the prevention of juvenile delinquency and the implementation of provisions for wayward youths. Moreover, our past policy was so provider-oriented and one-sided that it could not make a significant and positive impact on overall living standards and welfare benefits for youth.

Full cognizant of these shortcomings, my Government has begun to revamp its youth policy in a more future-oriented direction. Based on the recognition that youth are not only "the protagonists of the future" but also individual members of contemporary society, our new youth policy aims to encourage young people's constructive and effective participation in all sectors of society and to help them realize their potential as a major driving force for development.

As part of this new policy, the Korean Government has exerted its utmost efforts to secure for young people the full enjoyment of all forms of human rights and the benefits of youth. At the same time, care has been taken to assure that they will be educated and trained to take responsibility for their actions. It is our belief that such an approach will help empower Korean young people to promote tolerance, respect for diversity and mutual understanding and further contribute to the ultimate realization of world peace.

Mr. President,

As members of the international community, we are here to provide a new impetus to the process of redesigning and implementing of youth policies and programmes at all levels. It is encouraging to note in this regard that the Lisbon Declaration recognizes the lasting value of sharing information and experience across national boundaries so that each country can decide the best way forward for itself.

On this auspicious occasion, I expect to learn a lot from the national youth policy of other Member States, and also hope that my country's national report will provide useful information that would help others improve their respective national youth policies.

Mr. President,

I am convinced that our united voice in this Conference will echo in the ears of the general public as well as those of the world's youth, and that the Lisbon declaration will serve as valuable guidance for world-wide implementation of the Programme of Action to the Year 2000 and Beyond. At the same time, we should remind ourselves that merely hoping for the realization of commitments will prove fruitless unless we also make continued efforts to pool our resources and work together. For its part, the Government of the Republic of Korea will remain a sincere participant in the international community's effort to respond more effectively to the needs and problems of young people.

Thank you.