On September 25 (local US time, September 26 Korean time), Minister Kang Do-hyung of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries attended the 79th UN General Assembly high-level meeting on sea-level rise as the head delegate, where he urged international cooperation in response to climate change and sea-level rise. During this meeting, he proposed hosting the UN Ocean Conference in Korea. To secure the foundation for hosting the 4th UN Ocean Conference, Minister Kang, along with President Gabriel Boric of Chile, attended this UN General Assembly to express their intention to co-host the 4th UN Ocean Conference between Korea and Chile and sought the support of member countries.
Additionally, Minister Kang held a trilateral meeting with Alberto van Klaveren, the Chilean Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Peter Thomson, the UN Special Envoy for the Ocean, to exchange views on joint hosting efforts by Korea and Chile. He also requested support from Antony John Blinken, the US Secretary of State, for Korea’s bid to host the UN Ocean Conference.

Minister Kang also participated in side events promoting the ratification of the UN Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) agreement and urging active roles of member countries in response to sea-level rise during this UN General Assembly session. During these events, he met with high-level officials such as Prime Minister Alexander De Croo of Belgium, President Hilda Heine of the Marshall Islands, and Prime Minister Feleti Teo of Tuvalu, to express Korea's commitment to enhancing international cooperation in the maritime field through hosting the 4th UN Ocean Conference and sought their support.

Furthermore, Minister Kang held a separate meeting with John Kerry, former US Secretary of State and the Secretariat of the Our Ocean Conference, to discuss strategies for urging cooperation and action by the international community for the successful hosting of the 10th Our Ocean Conference in Korea next April. He also met with high-level officials from France and Costa Rica, co-hosts of the upcoming 3rd UN Ocean Conference in June next year, to discuss ways to link the 10th Our Ocean Conference with the 3rd UN Ocean Conference.