Special envoy Lee Kyung-chul calls two-state solution 'the only internationally agreed framework'; meets UN, EU officials on Middle East situation

South Korea actively participated in discussions on regional issues, including the Israel-Palestine conflict and broader Middle East affairs, with senior UN and EU officials on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Lee Kyung-chul (second from right, front row), South Korea's special envoy for Middle East peace, attends the High-Level Meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, held Thursday (local time) on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly's high-level segment. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs]
South Korea actively participated in discussions on regional issues, including the Israel-Palestine conflict and broader Middle East affairs, with senior UN and EU officials on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Lee Kyung-chul (second from right, front row), South Korea's special envoy for Middle East peace, attends the High-Level Meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, held Thursday (local time) on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly's high-level segment. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs]

South Korea actively engaged with senior UN and EU officials on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, participating in discussions on regional issues including the Israel-Palestine conflict and broader Middle East affairs.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sunday that Lee Kyung-chul, South Korea's special envoy for Middle East peace — who also serves as special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan — attended the High-Level Meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution on Thursday (local time), held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly's high-level segment.

The Global Alliance was launched in September 2024 under the leadership of Saudi Arabia, the EU and Norway to rally international support for the two-state solution and build a cooperative mechanism for its realization.

At the meeting, Lee reaffirmed South Korea's full and consistent support for the two-state solution, saying he shared the view that it is "the only internationally agreed framework capable of reconciling Palestinian self-determination, Israeli security and lasting regional peace."

He also called for the reversal of actions that undermine or erode the two-state solution, and said preventing their recurrence was essential.

Lee particularly expressed concerns over recent settler violence and settlement construction in the West Bank.

He said South Korea would contribute to these goals through the S.H.I.N.E. Initiative — the government's Middle East engagement framework announced last year — including through Official Development Assistance and humanitarian support.

Lee added that as the international community continues to champion and contribute to the values underpinning the two-state solution, the window of opportunity will continue to widen.

President Lee Jae-myung unveiled the S.H.I.N.E. Initiative during a visit to Egypt last November, delivering a speech at Cairo University as part of a Middle East and Africa tour on the sidelines of the G20 summit held in South Africa.

The initiative is a cooperation model built around five pillars — Stability, Harmony, Innovation, Network and Education — which the government plans to expand across the Middle East and Africa.

Alongside the meeting, Lee held talks with UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process Christophe Bigot, and UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan Roza Otunbayeva, who also heads the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. The discussions covered the Israel-Palestine issue, armed conflicts in the Middle East and the situation in Afghanistan.


shindw@heraldcorp.com