By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young
The third meeting of the U.S.-led 'Democracy Summit' concluded in Seoul on March 20. The meeting was held for three days from March 18 under the theme of "Democracy for Future Generations. It was the first time the summit, which was launched by U.S. President Joe Biden in 2021, was held exclusively outside the United States.
"The Republic of Korea, together with all democracies in the world, will continue its efforts to advance global democracy to the next level by consolidating the outcomes of this summit," said President Yoon Suk-yeol in his closing remarks, which were broadcast via video from the presidential office.
"It is premature to say that our aspirations for global democracy have been fulfilled by hosting three summits," Yoon said, noting that authoritarianism and anti-intellectualism are still rising in many parts of the world, constantly threatening democratic values and spirit.
"Our mission and responsibility in the face of these challenges has never been greater, and the future of our youth, children, and our children's children depends on our efforts now," he said.
"Today marks the end of the 3rd Democracy Summit, but our great journey for democracy will continue," he said.
In a session on "Technology, Elections, and Fake News," which he chaired, Yoon said, "This is a year of super elections," and suggested that "democracies that share universal values should stand together to fight fake news.
The video summit, which concluded the event, was attended by Yoon and 36 other leaders, including Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who co-chaired the meeting, Kenyan President William Ruto, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
On March 18-19, the summit featured ministerial meetings, expert roundtables, and discussions from national and international civil society on the theme of "Artificial Intelligence, Digital Technology, and Democracy.
The ministerial meeting was attended by ministerial and undersecretary-level representatives from various countries, including Secretary of State Tony Blinken, who led the U.S. delegation.
Participanmts in the expert roundtable discussed countering digital threats to democratic processes, technological innovation in democratic societies that respect human rights, and the role of democratic societies in ensuring free online spaces.
