New york: The U.N. General Assembly has officially designated South Korea and Chile as the co-hosts of the upcoming U.N. Ocean Conference (UNOC), slated to take place in Korea in June 2028. This decision was made during a plenary meeting held in New York, where the Assembly adopted the resolution with a vote of 169-2, with no abstentions.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the resolution outlines that South Korea and Chile will jointly host the fourth edition of this triennial event. The UNOC is traditionally co-hosted by a developed and a developing country and focuses on the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: "Life Below Water." This goal is part of the broader U.N. objectives aimed at addressing global challenges, including climate change and poverty.

Seoul's Oceans Minister, Chun Jae-soo, speaking at the Assembly, emphasized the significance of the 2028 conference, describing it as a pivotal moment in the lead-up to the 2030 target year for SDG 14. He highlighted the conference as a platform for governments, civil society, the private sector, and the U.N. system to enhance collaboration and take tangible actions towards the sustainable use and conservation of ocean resources.

General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock, who previously served as Germany's foreign minister, urged for continued momentum leading up to the fourth UNOC in 2028. She stressed the importance of collective stewardship and the moral and practical imperatives of ocean governance.

The third UNOC, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica in 2025, attracted approximately 15,000 participants, including 55 top-level global officials. The inaugural UNOC was co-hosted by Sweden and Fiji in 2017, followed by Portugal and Kenya for the second conference in 2022.