2024 OECD Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM)

1. Director-General for International Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kim Jihee attended this year's annual OECD Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM) held in Paris, France, on May 2-3. This year's MCM, which serves as the highest decision-making body of the OECD, was held under the theme "Co-creating the Flow of Change: Leading Global Discussions with Objective and Reliable Approaches towards Sustainable and Inclusive Growth."

2. On May 3, Director-General Kim attended session 4 on "Global Outreach and Proposing Credible Policies." Led by Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Kamikawa Yoko, participants discussed topics including the OECD's outreach to non-OECD members, progress in the accession process, reconstruction and reform in Ukraine, and the OECD's role and enhanced cooperation among international organizations.

∘ Director-General Kim emphasized that for the OECD's continued leading role in the creation of international norms on emerging agenda, it should expand its engagement with non-members and strengthen coordination with other international fora such as the UN and the G20. She highlighted particularly the need to build mutually beneficial partnerships between the OECD and ASEAN, reaffirming Korea's willingness to actively support the accession process of Indonesia and Thailand to the OECD based on Korea's own OECD accession experience.

3. Later in the day, Director-General Kim participated in discussions on artificial intelligence (AI) in session 6 on "Solution Oriented Approaches to Emerging Challenges." In the session chaired by Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan Matsumoto Takeaki and joined by OECD accession candidates such as Brazil, Indonesia and Peru, participants discussed the OECD's role in AI discussions, the Hiroshima AI Process initiated by Japan, coordination between the OECD and other international organizations regarding relevant discussions, and domestic policy efforts related to AI.

∘ Director-General Kim stressed that the OECD should play a constructive role as an evidence-based organization in mitigating risks and maximizing benefits of AI. She also shared with OECD member countries that the Korean government plans to lead discussions on building global AI governance framework that embraces not only AI safety but also innovation and inclusivity by hosting the "AI Seoul Summit" and "AI Global Forum" on May 21-22.

4. On the sidelines of the OECD MCM, Director-General Kim had bilateral meetings with OECD Director of Science, Technology and Innovation Jerry Sheehan, Director of the OECD Development Centre Ragnheiður Elín Árnadóttir, and OECD Director of Global Relations and Co-operation Andreas Schaal. The two sides discussed ways to step up Korea-OECD cooperation in a range of areas, including AI, digital transition and matters related to the "AI Seoul Summit," development cooperation, the global situation and multilateralism, and the OECD's outreach activities.

5. This year's MCM served as an opportunity to confirm solidarity among like-minded countries based on their shared values and international norms amid the geopolitical and geoeconomic transition and to discuss ways for cooperation with non-members including countries in the Global South. Also, during this event, Korea is seen to have gained OECD's support for its efforts as a Global Pivotal State to establish AI-related international norms and governance framework, including in the Ministerial Council Statement the OECD's commitment to a constructive role at the "AI Seoul Summit."