President Lee: South Korea to lead international cooperation for peace and prosperity at Jeju Forum

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung addressed the 21st Jeju Forum via a video message, highlighting the importance of international cooperation in achieving peace and prosperity. The forum, held in Seogwipo City, Jeju Province, is a significant platform for discussing global challenges and seeking collaborative solutions.

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The challenges the world faces today cannot be solved by the strength of one or two countries alone.

Co-hosted by Jeju Province and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and organized by the Jeju Peace Institute, the forum's theme this year is "The Era of Division, Reimagining Cooperation." It brings together over 4,500 participants, including former world leaders, academics, and civil society experts, to engage in 68 programs. Key discussions include leader summits and dialogues on the future of peace in the Middle East post-Iran conflict.

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When countries with problem-solving capabilities create flexible cooperation networks, they can supplement the gaps in the existing international order.

President Lee stressed that current global challenges cannot be solved by any single nation. He called for flexible cooperation networks among capable countries to address gaps in the existing international order. "We need to talk more actively about genuine peace, where there is no need to fight each other," Lee stated, reaffirming South Korea's commitment to leading international cooperation for peace and prosperity as a responsible global power.

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We need to talk more actively about genuine peace, where there is no need to fight each other.

However, the forum faced criticism from activist groups, including Gangjeong Village Resistance Action and the Green Party Jeju. They held a press conference denouncing the event for prioritizing a "peace through strength" logic, emphasizing military power and exclusive alliances, and for sidelining Jeju residents. The groups urged the forum to abandon imperialist war logic and called for specific actions, such as halting participation in the RIMPAC exercises, withdrawing naval satellite and missile launch tests, canceling the second Jeju airport project, and closing the Jeju naval base.

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South Korea will fulfill its role and contribution as a responsible global power by leading international cooperation for peace and prosperity through opportunities like the Jeju Forum.