Seoul: National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik on Wednesday called for joint efforts to tackle regional and global challenges through strengthened multilateralism at a meeting of parliamentary speakers from five middle-power nations. Woo made the remarks as he hosted an annual meeting with parliamentary leaders from MIKTA members -- South Korea, Mexico, Indonesia, Turkey, and Australia -- to discuss issues, including the Korean Peninsula, geopolitical conflicts, social challenges, and climate change.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Woo emphasized in his opening speech at the 11th MIKTA Speakers' Consultation in Seoul that the world is undergoing a major turning point amidst intensifying geopolitical conflicts and complex crises, with countries striving to protect their own interests. He noted that MIKTA is at a juncture where it must redefine its role based on past achievements and jointly explore future cooperation directions for integration and coexistence.

This year's meeting featured four sessions under the themes of peace building and humanitarian assistance, energy transition in the era of artificial intelligence and the climate crisis, inclusion of the socially vulnerable and easing inequality, and addressing political polarization and promoting social integration. During one session, Woo raised concerns over deepening political polarization, fueled by "fandom politics" and a rapidly changing media environment driven by algorithms that spread conspiracy theories and fake news.

At the end of the meeting, the MIKTA parliamentary speakers adopted a joint statement pledging to support South Korea's efforts to build lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula through cooperation in parliamentary diplomacy. The speakers affirmed that achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula requires continued efforts to ease tensions through dialogue and trust-building, as well as to promote exchanges and cooperation, the statement said. They also shared the understanding that peace on the Korean Peninsula is closely linked to regional and global stability, expressing support for Seoul's peace initiatives, it noted.

Launched in 2013 under South Korea's initiative, MIKTA has served as a cross-regional consultative platform convened annually to discuss ways to address global challenges and advance multilateralism.