By Soh Ji-young
Staff Reporter

CHEJU - Acting president Goh Kun on Monday once again expressed the government’s resolve to promote sustainable development, pledging to build up the country’s environmental industry to meet international standards.

``The government is encouraging development of next-generation environmental technology in accordance with a plan to make the Korean environmental industry one of the five strongest in the world,’’ the acting head of state said in a welcome speech during the opening ceremony of the Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GMEF) and the Special Session of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

The conferences opened on Monday at the International Convention Center on the scenic southern island of Cheju for a three-day run with more than 1,200 delegates.

``Korea hopes to reap good results in its continuing endeavors to harmonize interaction between people and the environment, and I trust that those of you who are participating in this forum will give us constant support and will cooperate with us in the years to come,’’ Goh said, who is currently acting as interim president.

Environment Minister Kwak Kyul-ho also said in a welcome speech, ``This Cheju conference will be remembered as a historical meeting for having made concrete implementation strategies concerning the environmental aspects of water, sanitation and human settlements.’’

More than 1,200 government officials, activists and members of international bodies from around the world gathered to take part in the three-day conference, held for the first time in South Korea as well as Asia.

Government delegates include more than 100 environment ministers and other government officials from a total of 158 countries _ making it the biggest UNEP conference so far.

Noted participants include Dr. Klaus Toepfer, executive director of UNEP, Anna Tibaijuka, executive director of the U.N. Human Settlements Program, Kim Hak-su, executive secretary of the U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and Masoomeh Ebtekar, vice president in charge of Iran’s environmental protection.

``Over the next three days, we have the opportunity to refocus attention of the foundations of sustainable development, for that is the only true security policy for the future,’’ Toepfer said.

Until the conferences end on Wednesday, participants will discuss various environmental agendas regarding the theme ``Environmental dimensions of water, sanitation and human settlements’’ and follow-up measures to the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002.

Based on their consultations, participants of the GMEF plan to adopt a ``Cheju Initiative’’ on the last day, which will endorse case studies to promote safe drinking water in developing countries.

jysoh@koreatimes.co.kr