Korea to begin drafting report on implementation of UN sustainable development goals

Korea will begin drafting a report to submit to the United Nations on the progress the country has made in implementing the 17 UN-designated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the first such report in 10 years, officials said on Thursday.

The Bureau for Sustainable Development under the Office for Government Policy Coordination said that it will hold the first meeting on the planned Voluntary National Review (VNR) report — which will be submitted to the UN in 2027 — later that day. Korea's first VNR report was submitted in 2016.

“The reason the government is pushing for the UN report for the first time in 10 years is to comprehensively check on Korea's sustainable development situation and share achievements and lessons with the international community to promote transparency and accountability in implementing SDGs and strengthen global partnerships,” the office said in a statement.

The UN adopted the 17 SDGs, including no poverty, zero hunger and good health and well-being, in 2015.

“Beyond checking on the [SDGs'] implementation, we will also try to include objective and detailed content in this report by finding exemplary policy cases of the central and regional governments, as well as experiences of cooperation and participation between the government and civil society,” the office said.

Yonhap