Opening Remarks

On the Occasion of the RCA-30 Scientific Forum

On 25 March 2002 at Seoul Palace Hotel

By Dr Chung Won Cho

 Director General, Atomic Energy Bureau

Ministry of Science and Technology

Distinguished Representatives of RCA Member States,

Delegates from IAEA,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is indeed my great honor and privilege to make a few remarks on behalf of the Organizing Committee of this important scientific forum that has been arranged for celebrating the 30th anniversary of the RCA establishment. In retrospect, it is my pleasure to notice that the RCA has made a lot of significant achievement for the benefit of our region. 30 years ago when the RCA first established as a regional cooperative framework, the scope and scale of the cooperative projects were rather small and were not fully recognized. Now, after 30 years of progress, the RCA has grown into a matured organization solely contributing to the regional prosperity. This was possible because all RCA Member States with valuable support from the Agency have wisely and earnestly coped with challenges whenever we encountered.

However, I believe the RCA faces another new challenge with rapidly changing regional and even global environment. We live in a society where competitiveness became a fashion. It is the competitiveness to improve quality of lives. It is also the competitiveness to achieve more industrialized society but not to jeopardize our environment. In this aspect, I believe the RCA has already faced a new challenge that demands a proper turning of our direction into more viable and sustainable development.

Therefore, I believe today’s forum is so prepared on a timely manner to meet our need to look back past achievements of the RCA and to look ahead future RCA profiles.

Today, at this important forum, we have 5 most distinguished speakers. We have greatly privileged to have such important invited speakers today. We know they all have sincerely contributed to the remarkable progress of the RCA during the past. In this regard, I hope today’s forum will be a valuable cornerstone to lay down mission oriented vision of the RCA. Last but not least, it is my sincere wish that this forum would be an important momentum for all of us who gathered here. At last, it is our job to cherish our RCA even more greatly. Thank you very much.