Participation in subsidiary organs

Organs elected by the General Conference

Executive Board
Member (Term expires : 2019)
International Coordinating Council of the Programme on Man and the Biosphere
Vice-President
Member (Term expires : 40th General Conference)
Intergovernmental Council for the International Hydrological Programme
Member (Term expires : 39th General Conference)
Intergovernmental Committee for Promoting the Return of Cultural Property to its Country of Origin or its Restitution in Case of Illicit Appropriation
Member (Term expires : 39th General Conference)
Intergovernmental Bioethics Committee
Member (Term expires : 40th General Conference)

Other intergovernmental organs

Intergovernmental Committee on World Heritage
Vice-Chairperson (Term expires : 41st session of the Committee (2017))
Member (Term expires : 39th General Conference)
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission
Member
Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage
Chairperson : H.E. Mr Byong-hyun Lee
Member (Term expires : 2018)
Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions
Member (Term expires : 2021)
Subsidiary Committee of the Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (UNESCO, Paris, 1970)
Member (Term expires : 2017-2021)

Councils of UNESCO's Institutes and Centres

Governing Board of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (former UNESCO Institute for Education, UIE)
Member : Ms Un Shil CHOI
Governing Board of the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education
Member : Prof. Dae-Joon HWANG

Addresses delivered in the general policy debate by the Head of Delegation at the General Conference

36 session of the General Conference

H.E. Mr Ju-Ho Lee, Minister of Education, Sciences and Technology

Speech delivered during the General Policy Debate of the 36th session of the General Conference and posted as received

35 session of the General Conference

H.E. Mr Chadong Kim, Deputy Minister of Education, Sciences and Technology

“Allow me to first express the Korean government's appreciation to the outgoing Director-General, Mr Koïchiro Matsuura (…).”
“We are facing a global economic slowdown coupled with a food and energy crisis and rapid climate change. (…) UNESCO should take this critical moment as an opportunity to identify the possible and desirable ways in its core activities and responding to the challenges, and in the meantime improving the effectiveness of its program delivery. UNESCO must also better use its capability while mobilizing world-class thinkers of Member States in order to exert its intellectual leadership.”
“We strongly support UNESCO's effort to place education for all at the very heart of its program priorities, and we urge the Organization to subscribe to the conclusions made in the international conferences on education in carrying out its programmes. At the same time, other areas such as literacy, technical and vocational education, higher education, education for intellectual understanding, science education and ICT in education should be given our due attention and be in full alignment with the EFA goals.”
“Climate change is a complex issue that requires an interdisciplinary approach (…). This is where UNESCO can play a critical role by ensuring that the next generation builds on the lessons we have learned. In this part broader capacity, UNESCO should also build climate change as part of the agenda of sustainable development. Our government has recently established low-carbon green growth as a national policy, envisioning a future where growth and environmental preservation go together. (…) UNESCO should continue scientific research and capacity-building work through programmes such as IOC, IHP, MAB and IAACP. At the same time, it should contribute to creating a green conversion approach in climate change from the perspective of the human and social sciences. Korea will play its part in promoting green growth by offering full cooperation on the global stage.”
“Arts and culture education helps future generations embrace their culture and self-identity. (…) The Korean government and UNESCO are jointly organizing the second World Conference on Arts Education in Seoul in May 2010. (…) In support of UNESCO's long-standing commitment to the promotion of cultural diversity and the protection of cultural heritage in all its forms, we are currently establishing an Asia-Pacific regional centre for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage as a category II institute.”
“(…) Our government fully supports the UNESCO Memory of the World programme and hopes that the programme’s profile will be further improved. Our government will renew its strong commitment to this initiative by awarding the UNESCO/Jikji Memory of the World Prize and jointly organizing regional training workshops with UNESCO, thus assisting member countries in the Asia-Pacific region to preserve and promote their important documentary heritage.”

34 session of the General Conference

H.E. Mr Kim Shin-Il, Minister of Education

The inter-Korean summit was recently concluded in success in Pyongyang and it has greatly contributed to the establishment of peace on Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia. The talks in the framework of the Six-Party Talks will hopefully contribute to this process.
“The Republic of Korea has emerged as a major player in the global economy and a mature democratic society. The transformation would not have been possible without the valuable assistance extended by the international community. In return, the Government of the Republic of Korea intends to raise its official development assistance to 0.25% of GNI by 2015.”
UNESCO should actively participate in the United Nations reform process and work more closely with other UN agencies while avoiding the duplication of efforts. It will help to enhance its effectiveness, efficiency and transparency.
The Republic of Korea welcomes the draft Medium-Term Strategy that gives top priority to providing quality education for all. Korea firmly believes that the development of human resources through education forms one of the most fundamental building blocks of an advanced democratic and stable society.
The Republic of Korea will continue to assist the Education for All programme through its Funds-in-Trust contribution, with particular focus on the use of ICT in education and the Teacher Training in Sub-Saharan Africa programme. The Republic of Korea also emphasizes the importance of lifelong education in achieving the goals of EFA.
“We strongly support UNESCO’s continuing effort to foster sustainable development through formal and non-formal education, as contained in the document 34 C/5.”
The Government of the Republic of Korea is pleased to announce that it will shortly ratify the Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expression.
The Republic of Korea also supports the return of cultural properties to the country of origin, as it plays an important part in inter-cultural reconciliation.
“The Republic of Korea commends the Organization’s ongoing effort to preserve intangible cultural heritage. We reconfirm our commitment to play a central role in the preservation of cultural heritage in the Asia-Pacific.”
The Republic of Korea is currently making final preparations to open a regional centre for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritages.
“In recent years, climate change has also emerged as a major threat to sustainable development. We find it timely that UNESCO is providing support for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and also conducting research activities on the agenda through its science programmes.”

Celebration of anniversaries

400th anniversary of the publication of Donguibogam (1613) (2013)

Donguibogam is a landmark in traditional Korean medicine and remains important in that body of medical practice as well as a classic work and reference for Oriental medicine today.

250th anniversary of the birth of Cheong Yagyong, philosopher (1762-1836) (2012)

Jeong Yak-yong (1762-1836, pen name Dasan) is a very important Korean philosopher whose work and ideas actively influenced the modernization of the Korean social, agricultural and political structures. He is well-known for his excellent knowledge of Confucianism, for his enthusiasm with regard to European modernity, and for being a critic of his contemporary philosophers for engaging in both fruitless etymological scholarship and pursuing philosophical theory for their own sake. His argument embodies the bridging between scientific knowledge, social applications and political implications.
Encouraging symposiums and teaching about Dasan’s philosophy is particularly important since today philosophy departments in most Korean universities teach mainly European modern philosophy.

Five hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the creation and proclamation of the Korean alphabet (Han-gul) (9 October 1996).

600th anniversary of Seoul as a capital city (1994)

Known as Hanyang at the time it was made capital of the Korean peninsula, Seoul, which means ‘capital’ in the Korean language, has a tradition dating back 5,000 years.
Seoul was the host city of the Olympic Games in 1988, and although it has become one of the largest modem cities of Asia, it is endeavouring to preserve its cultural heritage and is still one of the very few metropolises where urban development and nature are in harmony.
With a view to the celebration of this anniversary, whose theme will be ‘the New Seoul’, the Republic of Korea is planning numerous activities, such as exhibitions on the cultural heritage, lectures on culture and the environment and a symposium on the theme of ‘Urban Culture for Societal Development in the Urbanized World.