외교부

The 6th East Asian Conference on Slavic Eurasian Studies
June 27, 2014 

President Deok-jun Jang,
Chairman Hak-jun Kim,
President In-chul Kim,
and distinguished guests!

I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to you all on holding the 6th East Asian Conference on Slavic Eurasian Studies, on the theme of 'Peace Building in East Asia and the Expansion of Eurasian Cooperation.'

Since the inauguration of the Park Geun-hye administration, strengthening cooperation with Eurasia has become one of the major policy tasks. Since last October when President Park proposed a Eurasian Initiative, the Korean government has been actively constructing specific plans to realize the Initiative.

Recently, Eurasia has emerged in the spotlight, becoming the center of attention not only to Korea, but also to major players in international politics, such as China, Russia, and the United States. The geographic and geo-economic importance of Eurasia is significant, and as a result, eager discourse on creating a new growth engine and initiating cooperation on transportation and distribution is in progress. Notably last May, Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan agreed on the establishment of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) with the purpose of setting up a common market in the region.

President Park Geun-hye also paid state visits to three main partners of the Eurasian Initiative in Central Asian countries for the past week. She emphasized the necessity of connecting Eurasia into one transportation network to revive the Silk Road, a past symbol of exchanges and cooperation.

Heads of three Central Asian countries have spoken in one voice, expressing a great deal of support for Korean government's unification policy of the Korean Peninsula, and their unrelenting assistance in strengthening Eurasian cooperation policies.

We now face a great task of establishing the Eurasian Initiative as a concrete and practical cooperative project through which Eurasian people can live happily and  peacefully, paving the way to a land of prosperity. In this respect, the significance of today's event is even more exceptional.

Last year Korea and Russia had meaningful progress and substantial results to further strengthen bilateral relations.

The unprecedented two consecutive summits and prime ministerial talks during the Sochi Olympics have stimulated diverse and dynamic exchanges between the two countries, and have remarkably changed the quality of bilateral cooperation.

The Najin-Hasan project has begun in earnest. Concrete discussions on new cooperation projects in shipbuilding and use of Artic sea lanes have started. In addition, after 23 years of diplomatic relations, Korea and Russia have launched a Visa Waiver Program, finally opening the doors for their citizens to freely travel. Most importantly, heads of state of both Korea and Russia have agreed to build a new, flourishing era of Eurasia in mutual understanding and openness.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

In order to usher in the second golden age of Korea, it is imperative  to keep in mind that we are not a country on the outskirts of Eurasia but a gateway nation to Eurasia, positioned on a pivotal axis.

In this vein, I would like to express my gratitude to the Korean Association of Slavic Studies for its unwavering support for the past 20 years towards Korea's diplomatic history with Russia and Central Asia. I ask for your continuous support as a close partner to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in working at the forefront of the ROK-Eurasia relations in politics, economy, society, humanities, and beyond.

There is an old saying in Russia that "a person without any friends is like a tree without its roots." I truly believe that your affection for Eurasia will serve as a strong foundation for friendship and cooperation among countries in the region.

I hope that today's conference serves as a precious opportunity to share invaluable wisdom on the national development vision and strengthening Eurasian cooperation. Once again, I would like to congratulate the Korean Association of Slavic Studies for successfully hosting the 6th East Asian Conference on Slavic Eurasian Studies.

Thank you.