“Unification [of the two Koreas] will bring new engines of growth to the Korean Peninsula. It will also breathe fresh vitality into not only Northeast Asia, but into Eurasia and the global economy as well.”

So said President Part Geun-hye in English in a video message that aired on January 22 at the Korea Night sideline event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The "Davos Forum” is being held this year at the Morosani Schweizerhof Hotel in Davos from January 21 to 24.

In the video, President Park said that a divided Korean Peninsula hampers Northeast Asia’s ability to achieve its rich potential.



“As this year marks seventy years since Korea’s liberation and its partition, I yearn for the day when South and North Korea are reunited. Then, the peninsula could go from being the center of geopolitical conflict to becoming the gateway to both peace and development in Northeast Asia and to world peace,” the president said.

She continued that, “Seoul will patiently seek dialogue and cooperation with the North and will steadily prepare for unification.”

“We will strengthen people-to-people exchanges and cooperation with North Korea and will partner closely with the international community. By doing so, we will seek to make an era of unification not some distant dream, but a concrete reality.”

She mentioned that, “Our world today is facing a new environment, one marked by complexity, fragility and uncertainty. It’s very fitting that this year’s Davos Forum is discussing ‘The New Global Context,’ which calls for innovative policy visions and creative decision-making.”

“Hopefully, countries around the world can tap into new drivers of growth through the creative industries, promote innovation across the broad and cut red tape. May this year’s forum produce keen insights on ways to achieve these goals,” the president concluded.

By Sohn JiAe
Korea.net Staff Writer
jiae5853@korea.kr