Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the United States today (June 25) to rejoin the Paris Agreement on climate change and major international organizations.

Speaking at the Jeju Forum held at the Haevichi Hotel in Jeju, Ban stated, "No country can survive alone," as he made the call.

Ban identified climate change, intensifying competition among major powers, and the weakening role of international organizations such as the UN as the primary challenges facing the global community.

"Climate change is an issue that affects every country in the world," he said. "It was fortunate that the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015, but implementing it is 100 times harder than signing it."

He continued, "The U.S. is a major emitter of greenhouse gases. I urge the U.S. to reverse its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and return."

Regarding the U.S. withdrawal from dozens of international organizations, including UN agencies, he emphasized, "I ask that you return to these international organizations. We must cooperate and live together with neighboring countries and the international community."

During the World Leaders' Session held today under the theme "A Divided World, Reimagining Cooperation," global leaders offered suggestions on how to expand cooperation amidst the rise of great power competition and unilateralism.

Former Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono stated, "The re-emergence of great power competition, the spread of unilateralism, and the weakening of multilateralism are the most concerning issues."

Citing ASEAN and ASEAN+3 (South Korea, China, and Japan), he emphasized, "Middle-power countries must raise their voices together to check power and maintain balance."

Former Mongolian Prime Minister Gombojav Zandanshatar suggested minilateral cooperation as an alternative, arguing that existing multilateralism is insufficient in a divided world.

Former German Vice Chancellor Philipp Rösler also stressed, "We are living in a divided world, but we must not let this division become entrenched. Global cooperation is necessary to solve cross-border problems such as climate change, pandemics, and cyberattacks."

Meanwhile, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama diagnosed that the spirit of "fraternity" is disappearing among leaders.

"Looking at the genocide in Gaza, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the attacks on Iran by the U.S. and Israel, one cannot help but think that the philosophy of fraternity among leaders has been lost," he said.

He specifically criticized the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran as a "clear violation of international law," adding, "Japan, which has friendly relations with both the U.S. and Iran, should have played a more active role as a mediator."

He further pointed out that it was a "clear mistake" for Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to align closely with the U.S. Trump administration and criticize Iran.

Former Prime Minister Hatoyama also defined Prime Minister Takaichi's remarks suggesting intervention in the event of a Taiwan contingency as "a statement that violates the 1972 Japan-China Joint Communiqué."

He added, "Improving China-Japan relations is the top priority for leading peace in East Asia," and proposed the resumption of the Six-Party Talks—involving South and North Korea, the U.S., Japan, China, and Russia—as a first step toward the denuclearization of Northeast Asia.

(Photo: Yonhap News)