KOREA FOCUS

Among several regular meetings attended by the heads of leading world powers, one prominent gathering is the Group of Seven summit of major industrialized democracies, which later became the Group of Eight when Russia was admitted. Since its inauguration in 1976, the G7/G8 has been the "unofficial council" of the world community, overseeing major global issues and seeking ways to resolve them.

 

However, with significant changes in the global economic order in recent years, skepticism has grown over the group's legitimacy, representation and effectiveness. As the world economy faced a sweeping financial crisis over the past year, the G7/G8 gave way to a new council, the Group of 20, which includes fast-rising economic powerhouses such as South Korea. At their third summit session, held in Pittsburgh last week, leaders of the new group officially affirmed that the G20 is now the "premier forum" for coordinating global economic policy and cooperation. The session also selected South Korea to host a G20 summit in November next year.

 

The designation of Korea is certainly a diplomatic triumph for the nation, opening a new chapter not only in its diplomacy but also in the world`s economic cooperation. With the G20 now a central force in inaugurating new global governance, being the summit host will put Korea in a lead position to hammer out ways to settle the worst global economic recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

 

The diplomatic feat recalls a bitter historic incident of Korea's last kingdom, the Joseon Dynasty, when King Gojong secretly dispatched an emissary to an international peace conference held in The Hague in 1907 to protest Japan's forced trusteeship of Korea. The envoy, Yi Jun, was refused admittance to the conference room due to Japan's objection and later committed suicide in a fit of indignation. After becoming an independent country in 1948, South Korea gained a membership of the United Nations in 1991, but it had to be content with being rather passive at various international meetings.

 

In light of these humble experiences, Korea's rise to chair a G20 summit cannot but be described as an outstanding historical achievement. Of course, such an advancement of Korea's international status is primarily based on the sustained accumulation of national power, which in turn has been endowed by the nation's people with their hard work. Yet, a more direct cause is the international recognition of Korea's ample caliber and contribution displayed at the G20's first summit meeting in Washington and the second one in London.

 

Unlike the past summits of the G7/G8 generally characterized as "rhetoric feasts," the G20 sessions were substantive, providing concrete and feasible action policies. Korea made a significant contribution to the success of the summits, and summit cohorts recognized its role. For example, President Lee Myung-bak proposed a "standstill" to discourage trade protectionism and helped other G20 leaders reach an agreement on the touchy issue, which was rated as one of the most significant outcomes of the summits. In addition, in the preparations for the London summit and the drafting of a declaration, Korea played an active role in balancing agenda items on divisive issues and adopting action programs.

 

There were more reasons that led the Pittsburgh summit to choose Korea as the host of a next session. As a member of the G20 management troika, Korea played a remarkable role in mediating discord over the G20 membership. Objections were voiced by those countries excluded from the membership, while others wanted to retain the G7/G8 framework. Yet other nations claimed the G20 has too many members, suggesting that the membership be reduced to 13 or 14 countries, including the original G8 members. Lee personally contacted leaders of these dissenting countries, as well as consenting powers, to persuade them to support the G20 establishment through conciliation and cooperation.

 

In consequence, these efforts helped other member countries to positively assess the Korean government's resolute posture to make significant and concrete contributions to the cause of the G20, upgrading their perception of Korea's national image. Now that the nation has been offered a historic opportunity to host a large-scale summit of world powers, we need to concentrate our national energy and wisdom to make the gathering a successful premier forum on the global economy and, for that matter, international cooperation at large.

[ JoongAng Ilbo, September 28, 2009 ]