Minister vows to host 2028 UN Ocean Conference in Korea

Oceans and Fisheries Minister Kang Do-hyung speaks during a press conference at the Government Complex Sejong, Monday. Courtesy of Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries

Oceans and Fisheries Minister Kang Do-hyung expressed optimism, Monday, that Korea will host the fourth United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in 2028. Kang's statement followed his visit last month to New York, where he attended a high-level meeting on the rising sea level on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly (UNGA).

The UNOC has been co-hosted triennially by a developed country and a developing nation, so that leaders of the 193 U.N. members have a broad range of talks on maritime affairs and adopt a joint declaration for international maritime cooperation.

Korea has sought to win approval for its bid to co-chair the conference with Chile during the third UNOC, which will be hosted jointly by France and Costa Rica in Nice next June.

“In a series of meetings with Peter Thomson, the U.N secretary-general’s special envoy for the ocean, and high-level government officials from the United States, Belgium, France and Tuvalu, I requested their support for Korea’s bid to host the UNOC,” the minister said during a press conference in Sejong.

“If Korea hosts the 2028 UNOC following the Our Ocean Conference and the APEC Ocean-related Ministerial Meeting next year, it will solidify its status as the global maritime powerhouse and strengthen its competitiveness in the maritime industry.”

He also emphasized the UNOC’s economic impact, saying that the eight-day event will attract 10,000 participants, including leaders of the U.N. and its member countries as well as non-governmental organization officials.

According to the oceans ministry, its officials will travel around the world to promote Korea’s bid.

“Chile even sent the president and the foreign minister to the recent UNGA to co-host the UNOC with us, apparently impressing the U.N. members,” Kang said.

Before his recent visit to New York, the minister informed reporters that he would evaluate the political landscape in the U.S. to develop strategies to address the potential effects of the country’s presidential election on the oceans and fisheries sectors.

“I participated in a seminar at the National Assembly after my trip, to talk with lawmakers about the U.S. presidential election’s impacts,” he said.

“One of the participants in the seminar noted the importance of countermeasures against potential changes in seafood exports and logistics in case of Donald Trump’s win.”

Although he remained cautious about speculating on the election outcome, he said that the ministry has been bracing for both possible scenarios.