SECRETARIAT
Leadership Team
Secretary-General
Grace An
Under Secretary-General
Ethan Cho
Deputy Secretary-General
Katie Yoo
Deputy Secretary-General
Nahuel Herz
Deputy Secretary-General
Nahuel Herz
Honorable delegates, esteemed chairs, advisors, and distinguished guests,
My name is Nahuel Herz and it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 25th iteration of SEOMUN as one of your Deputy Secretaries-General.
Since the start of the century, our world has been plagued by a series of global crises one after another, each affecting different aspects of our society. Our generation has had to grow up under the constant threat of environmental crisis, along with intermittent economic crises, constant humanitarian crises, global health crises, and more. The beauty of organizations such as the UN is that they provide a forum in which States can work in unison to overcome our global crises, strengthening the bonds of unity between nations. Although rocky at first, we have seen how strong the bonds that unite all states are as they worked together to bring an end to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is ever so close.
This year was meant to be the year in which we return to normalcy after the countless crises caused by the COVID pandemic, yet we have entered another era of crises with the spreading of Monkeypox, record-breaking droughts, and the recent escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict. The latter has proven to be a very divisive crisis, while promoting unity of ‘western’ nations to never seen before levels, it has divided LEDCs, having to balance between access to essential resources like grain, and supporting western ideals.
While some crises are talked about in media many many more have persisted in the shadows. Monkeypox itself has been an endemic disease in western Africa, first observed in 1958, which has been ignored until its recent spread to Europe and North America. This is a theme commonly repeated in crises stemming from the Global South. While the west toppled Latin American governments and promoted genocidal regimes, nothing was said. While African states were embroiled in civil war stemming from colonial-era policies, nothing was said. While middle eastern families have been forced to live under inhumane conditions stemming from the countless conflicts in the region, nothing was said. All of the issues I just mentioned are just the tip of the iceberg, there are crises on all corners of the globe which do not have global attention if any at all.
While yes, our planet has become increasingly more united in the confrontation of our problems, we are still far from solving them all. Until we realize that the bonds between states which allow us to unite in solving western issues also allow for us to solve issues hidden in the shadows, we will not have achieved true bonds of unity.
My hope for this conference is that, through fruitful debates, delegates will be inspired to work together to solve both highly visible and hidden problems and develop bonds of unity between states in their professional life. I look forward to seeing the creative solutions delegates come up with in their committees!
Kind Regards,
Nahuel Herz
Deputy Secretary-General
Seoul Foreign School
Deputy Secretary-General
Katie Yoo
Delegates, Student Officers, Advisors, and Guests:
My name is Katie Yoo, a senior at Seoul Foreign School, and it is my honor to welcome you to the 25th annual session of the SEOMUN conference.
My Model United Nations journey started from ground and up – I did not have the Junior Model United Nations (JMUN) experience like all my other peers did, nor had a clue about international relations. I simply joined MUN out of curiosity, and that’s when I realized that I’ve totally underestimated it. Managing my IB school work along with writing 14 pages of position paper every week were extremely challenging. Nevertheless, as much as I despised it in the beginning, here I am, serving as the Deputy Secretary General of SEOMUN, and I can gladly say that it is one of my proudest achievements.
In our contemporary society, forming even the smallest bonds of unity has been an ever-present issue.
Attending middle school in Singapore, I noticed how though everyone lived in harmony, there were invisible divisions along the major ethnicities – Chinese, Malaysians, and Indian. It seems that those of similar cultural background mostly stuck together; though everyone interacted with each other and collaborated, people seems closest with their kin. Major areas in the city are named along ethnic lines: Little India, Chinatown, and Kampong Glam. Chinese privilege exists, as they have historically been and still are by far the dominant ethnicity.
With the BLM and StopAsianHate, it is clear that the Civil Rights Movement and the Civil Rights Act were stopgaps that failed to build equality and unity where it is necessary: in the minds of the people. Perhaps, that can never be done, but I’d like to see how our future country representatives, UN delegates, and policy makers of SEOMUN XXV can merge their ideas together to come up with solutions that can be applied to modern-day nations.
To solve the most complex and crucial contemporary world issues, one country’s effort alone is not sufficient enough. Just like how diversity creates a strong multifaceted community, change is only forced when different countries’ stances are knitted together into one unified quilt, just like the quilt of humanity.
My first SEOMUN experience, an in-person conference at my school, was when my MUN journey truly began, providing me with an opportunity to fully develop and grow my skills in a more welcoming environment. One of the major facets of SEOMUN is the engaging discussions with peers that will come from a diversity of backgrounds, a mirror of the real world. I hope to make it so that SEOMUN XXV continues on this path, projecting the voices of different delegates, chairs, and even the admins, allowing them all to tackle vital issues by progressively working towards unity.
Sincerely,
Katie Yoo
Deputy Secretary-General
Seoul Foreign School
Under Secretary-General
Ethan Cho
Honorable delegates, student officers, advisors, and guests,
My name is Ethan Cho, a junior at Seoul Foreign School, and it is my honor to welcome you to the twenty-fifth iteration of the SEOMUN conference as the Under-Secretary-General.
Model United Nations is one of the finest clubs any student can join. It provides countless opportunities and connections, and supplies students with skills they can utilize for the rest of their lives. Whether that be public speaking, critical thinking, or simply just knowledge about the modern world, there is no doubt that delegates are well prepared for the future.
What I believe makes conferences so special is the fact that they are a learning experience for anyone. For new delegates, they get a taste of what MUN is all about. It’s all about collaboration and establishing those Bonds of Unity between delegations. For more experienced delegates, it’s about challenging themselves to go up and beyond, by advocating for that main submitter position or urging the house to vote for their resolution. For chairs, it’s about learning how to effectively regulate a productive debate.
Don’t be afraid to learn, and don’t be afraid to challenge yourself. You won’t be able to grow if you’re not willing to take risks. So choose the agenda you’re not too familiar with. Raise your hand when your bloc is choosing the main submitter. Make a speech even if you’re not confident you’ll do well. But most importantly, remember that SEOMUN isn’t just about yourself. It’s about collaboration and consensus. That’s what makes Model United Nations so special. You may be sworn enemies with another delegate during the conference. But that experience of competition and cooperation helps you understand the true value of Bonds of Unity. Bonds that will help you far beyond a simple MUN conference.
I hope that all delegates are excited as I am for SEOMUN XXV, and I hope that it will be an amazing experience for all.
Sincerely,
Ethan Cho
Under-Secretary-General
Seoul Foreign School
