Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said South Korea, a former aid recipient country, will now seek to do its part a "facilitator," "supporter" and "initiator" for multilateral systems like the United Nations.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly on Friday, Cho said South Korea seeks to be a "global pivotal state," recognizing both its indebtedness to the multilateral systems and its growing ability to be their champion.

The minister also said Seoul is committed to serve three functions as a facilitator for global peace, supporter of sustainable development and action against climate change, and initiator for new norms and governance.

Condemning North Korea's weapons trade with Russia in violation of UN Security Council(UNSC) sanctions, Cho said it's deplorable that Russia, which is one of the founding states of the non-proliferation regime and a permanent member of the UNSC, is engaging in the illegal transfer of weapons.

He also asked for the international community's support for President Yoon Suk Yeol's "August 15 Unification Doctrine," saying it proposes a vision for a "free, peaceful, prosperous and unified" Korean Peninsula.