Expansion of international solidarity for freedom… Achievement of first-class veterans worthy of national dignity

The Yoon Seok-yeol government aims to become a respected country that fulfills its role and responsibility in the international community, leaping from an affected country to a global pivotal country that has an impact.

Accordingly, over the past year, the ROK-US alliance has been promoted to a comprehensive global strategic alliance by announcing the ‘Bold Initiative’, a roadmap for denuclearization of North Korea, and securing support from the international community. In addition, it has been developing East Asian diplomacy based on the values ​​of liberal democracy and common interests by communicating closely with major countries in the region.

While announcing the ‘Defense Innovation 4.0 Basic Plan’ to foster a science and technology strong military based on cutting-edge technology, the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs was promoted to a ‘department’, concentrating on laying the groundwork for a nationally respected Republic of Korea.

◆ North Korea’s denuclearization roadmap ‘Bold Initiative’… Efforts to improve human rights in North Korea

President Yoon Seok-yeol proposed a “bold idea,” a roadmap for North Korea’s denuclearization, in a congratulatory speech on Liberation Day last year.

This is a ‘bold idea’ that North Korea’s economy and people’s livelihood can be drastically improved if North Korea stops nuclear development and converts to actual denuclearization.

The Yoon government did not stop at preparing a roadmap for denuclearization, but has secured wide support for its “bold initiative” from the international community through bilateral and multilateral diplomacy. Ten ASEAN countries, five Central Asian countries, and 12 Pacific Island countries, including the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada, expressed their support for the government’s North Korea policy.

The Yoon government published the ‘2023 North Korean Human Rights Report’ in March based on fact-finding surveys from 2017 to last year so that the public can know the overall human rights situation in North Korea.

This is the government’s first public report published in accordance with the North Korean Human Rights Act enacted in 2016.

In addition, the North Korean Human Rights Promotion Committee was launched as an advisory body to the Minister of Unification in March to help the government supplement the foundation’s role before the North Korean Human Rights Foundation was launched.

The Yoon administration resumed the 3rd ROK-US Extended Deterrence Strategy Consultative Group (EDSCG) in September of last year after 4 years and 8 months in preparation for the North Korean nuclear and missile threats that are advancing.

Through the 3rd EDSCG Joint Statement, the ROK and the US reaffirmed their enhanced extended deterrence commitment and agreed on the effective deployment and management of US strategic assets in the region. The deployment of strategic assets in the United States took place last year, about five years after the ROK-US joint military exercises in December 2017.

◆ As a Korea-US global comprehensive strategic alliance… Korea-Japan shuttle diplomacy resumed

The Yoon administration held a Korea-US summit 10 days after its inauguration last year. The two countries agreed on the future development direction of the ROK-US alliance by agreeing on the vision of a ‘Global Comprehensive Strategic Alliance’.

Through this, they confirmed their common will to expand the geographic scope of the ROK-US alliance to the Indian-Pacific region and the world, and comprehensively expand the scope of cooperation to include military security cooperation, economic security/technical cooperation, and response to regional and global challenges.

President Yoon paid a state visit to the United States for the first time in 12 years from the 24th to the 29th of last month to mark the 70th anniversary of the ROK-US alliance this year. Through the summit, the leaders of the two countries looked back on the 70-year history of the ROK-US alliance based on common values ​​such as liberal democracy, rule of law, and human rights, and presented a blueprint for the future that the two countries will pursue together in the future.

The leaders of Korea and the United States adopted the ‘Washington Declaration’ at this summit. The Washington Declaration included measures to strengthen extended deterrence, including the establishment of a nuclear consultative group (NCG) and the regular expansion of U.S. strategic assets.

The leaders of the United States and the Republic of Korea also agreed to establish a dialogue on next-generation core and emerging technologies to promote mutually beneficial economic security cooperation, including high-tech industries including semiconductors and clean energy, and agreed to deepen cooperation to resolve regional and global challenges.

Joint Press Conference in the Rose Garden. April 26, 2023. The White House, Washington D.C. Source: Office of the President (flickr) Official Photographer : Kang Min Seok

At the same time, it focused on building a future cooperative relationship between Korea and Japan that meets common interests and values.

President Yoon visited Japan on March 16 and 17, and through the Korea-Japan summit, cooperation through comprehensive resolution of pending issues between the two countries, such as the lifting of Japan’s export restrictions on three semiconductor items, the withdrawal of Korea’s WTO complaint, and the complete normalization of GSOMIA. laid the foundation

Shuttle diplomacy between Korea and Japan was restored when Japanese Prime Minister Kishida also visited Korea on the 7th and 8th. The leaders of Korea and Japan held a summit meeting to discuss joint research and R&D cooperation in the field of advanced science and technology, and agreed to dispatch a field inspection team of Korean experts related to Fukushima contaminated water.

◆ Expansion of diplomatic horizons to the Indo-Pacific… Customized cooperation by country/region

The Yoon government built the foundation for the promotion of the Indo-Pacific Strategy by strengthening solidarity and exchanges with ASEAN and Pacific region countries, which are major cooperation partners in the Indo-Pacific region.

At the ASEAN-Korea Summit held in Cambodia last November, the government announced its first comprehensive regional strategy, the Indo-Pacific Strategy, and within that framework, the ASEAN-specific policy, the ASEAN-Korea Solidarity Initiative.

Exchanges with Southwest Asian and Pacific countries continued to expand, and in particular, high-level exchanges with Pacific island countries expanded the government’s diplomatic horizons to the Pacific region.

Since its inauguration, the Yoon administration has promoted core values ​​such as liberal democracy, human rights, and rule of law through high-level exchanges at each level, including 23 summit-level exchanges and 17 ministerial and vice-ministerial exchanges, such as adopting a bilateral framework between Korea and the UK and upgrading the relationship to a ‘strategic partnership’ with the Netherlands. We have also prepared specific cooperation plans with European countries that we share with.

23rd ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit Image Credit: ASEAN Cambodia 2022 | Ong Hongleang, Kok Ky & El Vattanac – AKP

In November of last year, when Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman visited Korea, he led the decision to invest in the 9.3 trillion won S-Oil Phase 2 Shaheen Project, as well as contracts and MOUs worth 40 trillion won in various fields such as smart infrastructure and manufacturing. has been concluded

In January, President Yoon made a state visit to the UAE for the first time as a Korean head of state, drawing the UAE sovereign wealth fund’s promise to invest in Korea worth $30 billion and signing a total of 48 documents, including various agreements and contracts.

◆ Promotion of active economic security diplomacy… Expansion of leadership in multilateral diplomacy

Starting with US President Biden’s visit to Korea immediately after its inauguration, the Yoon government established ‘Economic Security Dialogue’ and ‘Korea-US-Japan Economic Security Dialogue’ between the NSCs of the two countries to strengthen strategic consultations in the field of economic security through close communication and consultation with the United States. did.

The first economic security dialogue was held on the 16th following the agreement to establish a 2+2 high-level economic security dialogue with Canada on the occasion of the summit in September last year.

Through this, they shared evaluations of the global strategic environment and economic security policies, and exchanged plans to strengthen cooperation in areas of interest to both countries, such as supply chains such as core minerals and semiconductors, and natural gas, hydrogen, and nuclear power.

President Yoon attended the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit for the first time as a Korean leader in June of last year, strengthening solidarity and cooperation with NATO allies and partner countries that share universal values.

In addition, President Yoon attended the G20 Summit in November last year, and on January 18, he also attended the Davos Forum, the most influential international event led by the private sector, for the first time in nine years as a Korean leader.

Taking this as an opportunity, Korea presented a plan for international solidarity and cooperation, such as strengthening supply chain resilience, low-carbon transition, and health cooperation, to overcome the global economic crisis, and announced its will for Korea to play a leading role.

◆ Fostering strong AI science and technology… First-class veterans that the state is responsible for until the end

The Yoon government completed and announced the ‘Defense Innovation 4.0 Basic Plan’ to nurture the nation into a strong military based on advanced science and technology-based artificial intelligence science and technology. As part of the plan establishment, a military structure based on advanced science and technology was designed, and on July 1 of last year, the Defense Innovation Promotion Group’s Military Structure Innovation Division was launched to specify the design direction.

Considering the importance of space security, in December of last year, ‘Establishment of space security’ was reflected for the first time as one of the five missions of the 4th Space Development Promotion Basic Plan.

In addition, it was agreed to effectively respond to space risks and threats through Korea-US defense and space cooperation, and to hold the first high-level discussion exercise since 2017, the Space Cooperation TTX, in the second half of this year.

In addition, the government prepared a pan-governmental defense export support system to strengthen export competitiveness through customized corporate support. In particular, at the Korea Defense Industry Exhibition last year, 188 companies from 40 countries around the world participated and achieved more than 82 million dollars in order consultation.

The Yoon administration increased the compensation for national merit this year by 5.5%, the largest since 2008, to realize ‘first-class veterans and veterans who are responsible for the state until the end’. In addition, 15,000 people can receive a new basic pension by introducing a deduction for compensation for veterans when calculating the income of those eligible for the basic pension.

The burden of medical expenses for elderly veterans was alleviated by introducing drug cost reductions and exemptions for consigned hospitals, such as war veterans, and a nationally compatible transportation welfare card was introduced that allows disabled veterans to use city buses and subways nationwide with a single card.

In addition, in order to achieve first-class veterans worthy of national status and honor those who sacrificed for the country, the current Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs was promoted to a ‘department’ after 62 years of establishment, and the new Overseas Koreans Office, which was promoted as a national task, was included. An amendment to the Government Organization Act passed the plenary session of the National Assembly in February.

Accordingly, on the 5th of next month, the promotion to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs and the establishment of the Office of Overseas Koreans are expected to take place.

The Yoon government erected the ‘Memorial Wall of the US Korean War’ with their names inscribed to honor the 43,808 American soldiers and KATUSA soldiers who died in the Korean War.

The 17th seonyeol, who was buried in the joint graveyard of the Korean Liberation Army in Suyu-ri, was moved to a national cemetery after 77 years, and the first family registration of 200 independence activists without direct descendants, such as Governor Yoon Dong-ju, was established. In particular, the remains of Governors Lee Han-ho, Hong Jae-ha, and Hwang Ki-hwan were returned to their home countries after 100 years of martyrdom.

The Yoon administration plans to pursue various policies to expand veterans education for future generations and to create a culture of veterans that contributes to the establishment of national identity, national integration and national development.