This year, I have the honor of visiting the Republic of Korea on behalf of the government of Ireland to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. It is a great privilege to represent Ireland in this inspirational country, which is also one of our closest partners in Asia. St. Patrick's Day is an opportunity for tens of millions of people with Irish heritage around the world — and many more friends of Ireland beyond that — to join in a celebration of Ireland and the literature, music, culture, history and outlook on life that have shaped our island.

We know, in Ireland, that we are truly fortunate to have a National Day so many people enjoy. We know, too, that enjoyable days are not in abundance everywhere this March. Conflicts continue to devastate lives across the world, fueling hunger and displacement. The impacts of climate change are being felt in more and varied ways. Even in highly developed countries, increases in the cost of living and anxiety around technological and societal change have undermined confidence in established ways of doing business. We are not immune from these international winds of change in Ireland, but we do try to limit their effects.

Hildegarde Naughton, vice minister of Ireland's Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth / Courtesy of Embassy of Ireland in Seoul

And certainly, when it comes to investors in Ireland and visitors to our island, we try to provide a consistent approach that stands the test of time. A commitment to maintaining Ireland as a great place to do business and as a superb location to visit, study or work is shared by all major political parties in our parliament. This provides a predictability or stability in policy that may not be as exciting as some journalists might wish. But in a world as turbulent as today's, we think this consistency is something to cherish. The Irish people agree. Our most recent elections in November returned the two main parties in government since 2020 for another five years until 2029. It is not that we think we have all the answers — we don't — or that we don't have very significant challenges — we do — rather, this is simply a reflection that Irish people see a value in consistency and building carefully on success in terms of what we have to offer.

Ireland is regularly rated as among the best places in the world to do business, with the World Competitiveness Report 2024 ranking Ireland first internationally for attracting and retaining talent, first for the flexibility and adaptability of our workforce and first for workforce productivity. For an island that experienced the worst famine in Europe of the 19th century and crippling emigration until more recently, this rise to become a top 10 country on the U.N. Human Development Index didn't materialize through a lack of new thinking or strategic ambition. But we also know that every marathon is best run at a steady pace in an agreed direction rather than by sprinting back and forth. We try to take a clear and consistent approach to our foreign policy, too, in line with the principles of empathy and partnership that were at the heart of our most recent term on the U.N. Security Council. Last month, we marked the third anniversary of Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine. Russia's illegal aggression must end. But how we make peace matters.

Our message is clear — there can be no solution about Ukraine without Ukraine. A bad deal for Ukraine is a bad deal for us all. That's why we stand in solidarity with Ukraine, now and in the future. We believe we have taken a principled position in the Middle East, too. We firmly condemn the heinous terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The taking of hostages is unconscionable. We call for the return of all hostages to their families.

Ha'penny Bridge in Dublin, Ireland / Courtesy of Embassy of Ireland in Seoul

In Gaza, the scale of destruction and human suffering is truly shocking. It is vital that we do not see a resumption of hostilities and that the massive scale-up of desperately needed humanitarian aid continues. As a small country, we are convinced that working together across borders, at the U.N. and other international organizations, is the best way to tackle global challenges and deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals. We see the protection and promotion of human rights as essential to securing and maintaining peace and stability globally. This is part of the reason Ireland is running for election to the U.N. Human Rights Council for the 2027 to 2029 term.

We will make this case at the Group of 20, too, where Ireland has been invited to participate for the first time over the course of 2025 and where we will also be active in making the case for harnessing innovation to deliver inclusive economic growth. And all of this work continues while we intensify our planning for Ireland's presidency of The Council of the European Union in the second half of 2026.

Ireland is fortunate to be at the heart of the European Union, an unprecedented peace project, a vibrant market of more than 450 million people and a catalyst for positive social change and inclusion. As Ireland navigates the winds of change, the Republic of Korea is among our most trusted partners. In 2023, to mark 40 years of diplomatic relations, the then Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Leo Varadkar led a team of ministers to visit Korea to deepen political and economic ties and to celebrate our people-to-people links.

Our two countries have worked closely together for decades to foster two-way trade and investment, champion human rights and nuclear disarmament at the U.N., and nurture deeper people-to-people connections. There are undoubtedly deep and complex challenges to navigate over the months and years ahead.

But there are opportunities, too, if we approach these challenges in a constructive and collaborative fashion and use our multilateral and international institutions to forge consensus and unleash potential. There is a famous Irish saying that reads, “Ní neart go cur le chéile — There is no strength without unity.” Just as we celebrate St. Patrick's Day, so too should we raise a glass to working together as closely as we can. Our people deserve nothing less.

Hildegarde Naughton is the vice minister of Ireland's Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.