Seoul Strengthens Peace and Security Cooperation with Cities Around the World, Hosts Global City Diplomacy Forum

[Financial News] On the occasion of the International Day of Peace, Seoul Metropolitan Government hosted a forum attended by ambassadors from major countries and international relations experts to discuss peace on the Korean Peninsula and international cooperation among cities. On the 21st, Seoul Metropolitan Government held the Seoul Global City Diplomacy & Peace Forum at the multipurpose hall of Seoul City Hall under the theme "The Role and Vision of Seoul, the Peace Capital of the Korean Peninsula, in Becoming One of the World’s Top Three Cities." About 300 people attended, including Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the ambassadors to South Korea of Germany, Sweden and Poland, international relations experts, and university students.
The forum was organized to share the security experiences of major countries amid tensions on the Korean Peninsula and explore ways to promote international cooperation for citizen safety, urban development and peace.
Ban Ki-moon delivered a keynote address on "Peace and Security Strategies for the Korean Peninsula amid Changes in the International Order and the Role of City Diplomacy." He said, "I hope Seoul will continue to play its role as the 'peace capital of the Korean Peninsula' by sharing with the world its experience of overcoming the devastation of war and national division to achieve development."
A discussion followed, moderated by Nam Sung-wook, chair of Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Committee for Building the Foundation for Peaceful Unification, with the participation of the ambassadors to South Korea from three countries and international relations experts.
Georg Schmidt, Germany’s ambassador to South Korea, introduced Berlin’s experience before reunification and emphasized the importance of dialogue, practical cooperation and trust-building even when political agreement is difficult to achieve.
Karl-Olof Andersson, Sweden’s ambassador to South Korea, said security and diplomatic dialogue play complementary roles. He proposed that Seoul expand crisis management, humanitarian cooperation, and youth and cultural exchanges through international city networks.
Bartosz Wisniewski, Poland’s ambassador to South Korea, shared the historical experiences of Warsaw and Seoul, both of which achieved reconstruction and recovery after war. He also expressed his intention to strengthen cooperation between the two cities, marking this year’s 30th anniversary of friendship and cooperation between the capitals of South Korea and Poland. 
Mayor Oh said, "Cross-border trust and solidarity are more important than ever," adding, "We will build a model of city diplomacy in which cities share their experience and information on disasters, infectious diseases, the climate crisis and new security threats, respond to crises together, and protect citizens’ lives without leaving gaps."

[email protected] Seong Cho-rong Reporter