Lee Joong-keun vows to spread 'UN spirit' as Korea UN Association chief

The United Nations Association of Korea announced Thursday that the South Korean delegation had completed its schedule at the 2026 Korea-China-Japan Trilateral UN Associations Presidential Meeting and Youth Forum, held in Beijing, China.

The event ran from Monday through Thursday and is co-hosted on a rotating basis each year by the UN associations of South Korea, China and Japan — a practice that began in 2010. The forum serves as a platform for spreading UN ideals and values and for discussing ways to advance civilian diplomacy and international cooperation.

Lee Joong-keun, president of the United Nations Association of Korea and concurrently chairman of the Korea Senior Citizens Association and Booyoung Group, attended the student representative session in person, encouraging participants and urging them to fulfill their role as envoys representing South Korea.

"Transcending borders through solidarity and communication among the younger generations of Korea, China and Japan is paramount to solving the shared challenges facing humanity," Lee said. "Through this forum, I hope the youth of our three nations will grow into global leaders who can guide Northeast Asia toward a sustainable future."

As their final activity Thursday, the 20 South Korean student delegates visited the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Beijing, where they attended a lecture by Ambassador Noh Jae-heon and took part in a question-and-answer session on major diplomatic issues — an opportunity to broaden their perspective as future diplomacy professionals.

Forum discussions and presentations covered topics including adherence to international norms, strengthening the UN's role, establishing AI governance, responding to climate change and expanding the role of younger generations.

Lee took office as president of the United Nations Association of Korea in February and has since carried out a range of activities to promote UN values and invigorate international exchange. He has particularly continued to advocate for designating UN Day — Oct. 24 — as a national holiday, to honor the sacrifice of UN veterans who gave their lives for South Korea during the Korean War and to pass on the values of freedom and peace to future generations.

Booyoung Housing recorded sales of 1.13 trillion won ($808 million) last year. The company swung to a profit, posting operating profit of 254.7 billion won, driven by revenue from pre-sale conversions.