The Ministry of Science and ICT (“MSIT”; Minister Lee Jong-Ho) held 2023 Korea-Pacific Islands Digital Ministerial Conference on Wednesday, May 31 at COEX Intercontinental, Seoul.
The MSIT has been holding the Digital Ministerial Conference every year since 2005 to strengthen policy cooperation with countries in the Asia Pacific region and Latin America in the global ICT sector, and to support Korean companies' overseas market expansion. This year, as the Korea-Pacific Islands Summit marked a turning point in cooperation between Korea and Pacific Island nations, a digital ministerial conference was held to strengthen exchanges in the ICT sector.
The conference was attended by digital ministers of seven countries (Palau, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Cook Islands, Nauru, Kiribati and Samoa), Deputy Head of Mission of the Australian Embassy in Seoul, and Special Representative from the World Bank Group Korea Office.
Under the theme, “Partnership for Digital Co-prosperity,” the participant countries shared their policy visions and experiences in response to the grand transformation prompted by digitalization, and discussed how to promote innovation and prosperity across the pacific region.
Minister Lee of Science and ICT said, “Korea and Pacific Island Countries are neighbours connected by physical space that is the Pacific Ocean; however, I look forward to a new dimension of connectivity enabled by digitalization that will break down the barriers of time and space between us.” He highlighted that the Korean government will pursue a digitalization that upholds the universal values of humanity, such as freedom, human rights and solidarity, to prepare for the new paradigm where digital technologies will be the building blocks of innovation in all areas, including economy, society and culture, and expressed Korea’s strong will to contribute to the international community for narrowing the digital gap so that anyone can enjoy the benefits and opportunities offered by digital transformation.
Jason Alford, Special Representative from the World Bank Group Korea Office, expressed his congratulations on the first Korea-Pacific Island Digital Ministerial Conference and emphasized the need for digital development within the pacific island countries.
In the keynote session that followed, Director General Kim Seong-gyu of the International Cooperation Bureau from the MSIT presented Korea’s National Digital Strategy, a policy roadmap to make Korea a model nation for digital innovation, and Senior Digital Development Specialist Zaki Khouri from the World Bank Group Korea Office presented the Digital Development & Partnership programmes of the World Bank.
Minister Lee chaired the Country Statement session and announced the Chair’s Statement of the 2023 Korea-Pacific Islands Digital Ministerial Conference. The main message of the Chair’s Statement is: “We seek to promote a safe, resilient and open digital ecosystem. We focused on the policy challenges of achieving high-quality and meaningful connectivity for all. We agreed that continued partnership in digital transformation for inclusive and sustainable development will be the key for future prosperity of the Republic of Korea and Pacific Islands Countries. We look forward to continued digital cooperation and collaboration in the journey of partnership towards co-prosperity within the Pacific region.”
At the closing ceremony, the MSIT thanked the participants for attending the conference, and said that Korea, a globally-recognized ICT leader, will share the country’s experiences and know-how with Pacific Island countries to contribute to the enhancement of digital access in the region, and will note the potential of digital technologies and continue to promote collaboration and communication with Pacific Island countries to address global challenges in response to climate change and natural disasters.
For further information, please contact the Public Relations Division (E-mail: msitpress@korea.kr) of the Ministry of Science and ICT.
Please refer to the attached PDF.