Minister Chung Meets with New Irish Ambassador to ROK

Discussing Bilateral Cooperation to Advance Peace on the Korean Peninsula

Minister Chung Meets with New Irish Ambassador to ROK (Sep 4)

On September 4, Minister of Unification Chung Dong Young met with Seán Hoy, the newly appointed Irish Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation to advance peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Congratulating Ambassador Seán Hoy on his appointment, Minister Chung called on Ireland, which holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union this year, to play an active role in establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Minister Chung noted that Ireland's history-marked by its struggle for independence and the process of achieving peace after overcoming more than 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland-closely mirrors that of the Korean Peninsula.

He emphasized that the patience and wisdom displayed by Ireland in pursuing peace serve as an important point of reflection for both South and North Korea, stressing the need for decisive efforts to seize opportunities for peace when they arise.

Furthermore, Minister Chung requested that Ireland exercise leadership as the EU Council President in the second half of this year to build European understanding and support for establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Resonating with the ROK government's efforts to promote peace, Ambassador Hoy shared Ireland's experiences from its own peace process.

Ambassador Hoy highlighted that a core conviction gained through Ireland's 30-year peacebuilding process is that "peace is a value that requires constant effort."

He also expressed Ireland's readiness to actively cooperate with countries seeking to share in its peace process experiences, including South Korea.

Based on their shared historical understanding of the pain of division and peacebuilding efforts, both sides agreed to maintain close cooperation for peace on the Korean Peninsula.