 Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I am very much honored to address this prestigious forum of the Institute of International and European Affairs. The IIEA plays an important role in stimulating important conversations in public affairs in Ireland, and I would like to acknowledge the work that the Institute does as both a crucial wellspring of ideas and also by bringing international ideas to an Irish audience. Let me start by introducing the Korean government's middle power diplomacy. The current administration has set fulfilling the role of a responsible middle power to prosperity of mankind as one of its four diplomatic goals. To achieve this goal, the government has placed the following three agendas at the center of its middle power diplomacy. First, promoting multi-layered regional cooperation and pursuing meaningful multilateral diplomacy. Second, fulfilling the role of a responsible middle power to contribute to global peace and development. And third, fostering exemplary and advanced development cooperation. Today, the international community is faced with various challenges including achieving sustainable development, tackling climate change, terrorism, refugees, and health security. These challenges cannot be solved by only a handful of countries. Also, reforming global governance is emerging as a new challenge due to changes in the international environment. At times like these, when creative and proactive diplomacy are called for, it is becoming more important for middle powers to take the lead in tackling global issues with as much commitment to advancing the public good as their own interests. The establishment of MIKTA can be regarded as a significant step toward building a network among middle power countries. Our partners in the MIKTA initiative display many similarities. All five countries, all five members of the, all are, all five are members of the G20 club of the world's largest economies. They are important drivers of growth, stability, and prosperity. Regionally and increasingly are important contributors toward efforts in addressing the global challenges of our time. While MIKTA is an association that is quite young and it is still finding its role, it has already a number of important achievements under its belt that will undoubtedly contribute to the further growth of our partnership. As the first chair of MIKTA, Mexico laid the foundation for shaping MIKTA's identity. Mexico laid the foundation for regular MIKTA foreign ministers meetings and established consultative channels among their diplomatic missions to major multilateral organizations. As the second chair of MIKTA, Korea laid the groundwork for MIKTA to grow and put it on a solid footing. Korea took the lead in enhancing the quality of MIKTA cooperation by creating consultative channels that involve speakers of parliament, senior government officials, and academics. The first MIKTA parliamentary speakers consultation was held to enhance the public's understanding and generate political support for MIKTA in Seoul in May last year. The first MIKTA senior officials meeting and the first MIKTA academic network conference were also held in Seoul last year. During Korea's chairmanship, we focused on three aspects of MIKTA. Firstly, we exerted our effort to raise MIKTA's visibility. At the fifth foreign ministers meeting in Seoul last year, members adopted the MIKTA vision statement which outlines the future direction of MIKTA. The official website was also launched to provide information about MIKTA and utilized it as a channel to promote MIKTA's activities. Our logo was also adopted with the view to enhancing the brand value of MIKTA. Secondly, we tried to enhance MIKTA's utility in the international community. Members upgraded MIKTA's standing in the international arena by issuing joint statements and joint communique on major global issues including the Ebola virus, climate change, gender equality and so on. Thirdly, we strengthened connectivity among MIKTA members. Members cemented and increased mutual understanding within MIKTA by expanding exchange in various fields. Korea invited journalists from MIKTA countries and provided support so that they can cover the foreign ministers meeting and visit Korean cultural sites on the occasion of the fifth MIKTA foreign ministers meeting. Korea also invited graduate students in relevant fields of study from MIKTA member countries so that they can have discussions on MIKTA and participate in programs for increasing their understanding of the Korean culture in July last year. I have no doubt that Australia, our current chair and Turkey, the next chair, will take MIKTA to the next level. Distinguished guests, I would like to take this opportunity to briefly touch upon one of the most pressing security issues that world faces the North Korean nuclear problem. As our colleague the Australian ambassador already mentioned in our presentation, at the second foreign ministers meeting in Mexico City in 2014, ministers issued a joint statement expressing grave concern over North Korea's provocative actions including its threat to launch missiles and conduct another nuclear test. In January this year, another MIKTA foreign ministers joint statement was issued deploying North Korea's fourth nuclear test. The first North Korean nuclear crisis broke out in the early 1990s. Since then there have been breakthroughs and breakdowns. To make a long story short, our efforts to bring North Korea to the right side of history have not achieved the desired outcome yet. Whenever North Korea has made provocations, the international community has made strenuous efforts to put pressure on it. The UN Security Council adopted a number of resolutions but unfortunately all these previous Security Council resolutions failed to deter North Korea from conducting its fourth nuclear weapons test in January this year and launching another long-range missile in February. North Korea never stopped developing its nuclear weapons program under the past Security Council resolutions. So it becomes clear that imposing much tougher sanctions on North Korea is essential in stopping its further provocations. That's why the UN Security Council adopted unanimously the new Security Council resolution 2275 in March this year. In April this year, just two months ago, North Korea again launched a submarine-based ballistic missile and even today, this morning, they launched two intermediate-range ballistic missiles in defiance of international sanctions. The North Korean regime must realize that their efforts to sustain itself by exploiting its people and concentrating resources on nuclear and missile development will be futile and self-destructive. If unchecked, North Korea's nuclear weapons program will pose an even greater threat not only to the Korean, the survival of the Korean people under Korean peninsula but also to the stability of Northeast Asia and peace around the world. North Korea must be pressed much harder until it changes its calculations and chooses the path toward de-nuclearization. Our partners in MIKTA recognize the destabilizing effect that nuclear proliferation on the Korean peninsula can have both regionally and globally. Our in-depth policy discussions of the North Korean nuclear issue and unified MIKTA response to the latest series of provocations display that it is a partnership that responds resolutely to international security threats. Ladies and gentlemen, as your trusted partner of both developed and developing countries, Korea is well positioned to harmonize diverse interests in the service of the public good. Korea has concurrently achieved industrialization and democratization. And we have gone from an aid recipient to a donor country. Now Korea is ready to draw upon its experience and play a bigger role in the global stage. To this end, Korea will strengthen its networks with nations that share common interests and continue to show leadership in setting the global agenda. Thank you very much.