외교부

Remarks by H.E. Ms. Jina Kim

Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs

8th Busan Global Partnership Forum – Opening Remarks

September 30, 2025, Seoul

Distinguished colleagues,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a privilege to welcome you to the 8th Global Partnership Forum. Let me begin by expressing my deep appreciation to the Co-Chairs of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation and the organizers for their dedication in bringing us together at this critical moment.

The international community is navigating one of the most turbulent time in recent memory. Heightened geopolitical rivalries, fragile macroeconomic conditions, and the intensifying climate crisis are weighing heavily on all nations. With only five years left before the 2030 deadline, it is deeply concerning that barely one-third of the Sustainable Development Goals have shown meaningful progress.

These realities actually remind us of a simple but powerful truth: no country can face today’s complex crises alone. What is required is renewed solidarity and collective action anchored in genuine multilateralism.

Against this backdrop, the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development, held in Seville, was both timely and consequential. Through candid dialogue and carefully negotiated agreements, FfD4 succeeded in sustaining the momentum of multilateral development cooperation.

Looking ahead, it is essential that development effectiveness remain responsive to new challenges while upholding credibility. Korea welcomes the 2030 Pact for Effective Development Cooperation as a roadmap to maximize impact amid limited resources, and we encourage all partners here to actively support its implementation.

The convening of the 8th Forum so soon after FfD4 is highly significant. It actually demonstrates our shared determination to translate global agreements into practical action. The theme—“Development Effectiveness: Partnerships for the Future and Pathways to Inclusive Growth”—captures both our vision and our responsibility. I hope that our dedication and deliberations will chart inclusive pathways that lift all countries and communities, leaving no one behind.

Korea helped to launch the GPEDC in 2012 and have since hosted a series of forums to sustain this dialogue and broaden its reach.

Going forward, the Korean government is committed to enhancing both the scale and the quality of its development cooperation.

Through our 4th Comprehensive Strategy for International Development Cooperation, we will sharpen strategic focus, improve effectiveness, and deliver results that are meaningful for partner countries. In doing so, Korea will continue to serve as a responsible global partner dedicated to advancing sustainable development and shared prosperity.

In closing, let me once again express my appreciation to all who have contributed to making this forum possible.

I trust that our exchanges will strengthen the collective resolve of the international community and inspire new momentum for a better future.

Thank you.