Tenth United Nations-Republic of Korea Joint Conference, 7-8 November, to Address

Decade’s Achievements, Setbacks, Challenges on Disarmament, Non-proliferation

NEW YORK, 3 November (Office for Disarmament Affairs) — The Tenth United Nations-Republic of Korea Joint Conference on Disarmament and Non-proliferation Issues will take place in Jeju, Republic of Korea, on 7 and 8 November.  This annual event is organized jointly by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs through its Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific and the Government of the Republic of Korea.  Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is sending a video message to the Conference.  Sergio Duarte, United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs and senior officials from the Republic of Korea will address the opening session.  More than 50 representatives from Governments, international organizations, academic and research institutions, and civil society will participate in the Conference.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of this United Nations-Republic of Korea joint conference series, also known as the “Jeju Process”.  To mark this milestone, this year’s Conference, with the overall theme of “The Past and Future of Disarmament and Non-proliferation”, will take stock of both progress and setbacks in the past decade in the fields of disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation.  It will also explore new and emerging challenges the international community faces in the future.  Against the backdrop of the forthcoming second Nuclear Security Summit, to be held in Seoul in 2012, the Conference will also address the aim and expected outcome of the Summit.

The annual Conference, hosted by the Republic of Korea since 2002, has become an important international forum characterized by a frank and constructive exchange of views among Government officials, independent experts and researchers, and civil society representatives on challenges and solutions to pressing disarmament and security issues.  It also addresses particular disarmament and non-proliferation concerns in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Conference is financed through voluntary contributions made to the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, including by the Government of the Republic of Korea.

For further information, please contact Xiaoyu Wang, Senior Political Affairs Officer, Regional Disarmament Branch, Office for Disarmament Affairs, at tel.:  +1 212 963 9440, e-mail:  wangxy@un.org.

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For information media • not an official record