Deputy Minister for Economic Affairs Meets U.S. Special Advisor on International Disability Rights

1. On July 26, Kim Hee-sang, Deputy Minister for Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea, met with Sara Minkara, Special Advisor on International Disability Rights (SAIDR) at the United States Department of State who was on a visit to Korea. The two sides talked about ways to deepen discussions on promoting economic activities of persons with disabilities at APEC 2025 to be held in Korea.

* Since her appointment to her current position on October 28, 2021, Special Advisor Minkara has been working on behalf of the U.S. to improve the perception of persons with disabilities around the world and advance their inclusion.

2. Special Advisor Minkara noted that the U.S. values APEC as a forum for discussing the promotion of economic activities of persons with disabilities and has been leading the way in activating such discussions in APEC since 2023, when the U.S. chaired APEC, including by declaring the Detroit Principles* in 2023 and the Arequipa Goals** in 2024.

* Principles, which emphasize the need to promote equality and inclusion in education and vocational training in order to realize everyone's potential and expand their economic participation, were declared at the second APEC Senior Officials' Meeting held in Detroit, the U.S., in 2023.

** APEC goals for promoting inclusion of persons with disabilities by 2030 were declared at the second APEC Senior Officials' Meeting held in Arequipa, Peru, in 2024.

3. Special Advisor Minkara emphasized the importance of mainstreaming the discussion on persons with disabilities in APEC meetings. She noted that the discussion, the primary focus of which used to be on social protection aspects such as promoting inclusion, should be broadened to cover all areas including economic growth and innovation.

4. Deputy Minister Kim agreed on the need for discussing the promotion of economic activities for persons with disabilities. He went on to say that Korea would consider this in the selection of the APEC 2025 themes and priorities and pursue communication among relevant government agencies that are preparing to host sectoral ministerial meetings, in order to facilitate such discussions at APEC 2025.

5. As the APEC 2025 Chair, Korea will hold more than 200 meetings, starting with the Informal Senior Officials' Meeting in December 2024 and ending with the APEC Economic Leaders' Week, leading discussions among the 21 member economies for economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.