Remarks by Vice President Harris During Meeting with Groundbreaking Women Leaders From the Republic of Korea

Chief of Mission Residence
Seoul, Republic of Korea

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, good afternoon.  It is my privilege to be here with such an impressive group of leaders, who happen to be women, who have achieved great success, broken many barriers, and are role models to so many people of both genders, of any gender.
 
I do strongly believe that when women succeed, all of society succeeds.  I also believe that a real measure of the strength of a democracy is to measure the strength and standing of women.  And I therefore believe that if we want to strengthen democracy, we must pay attention to gender equity and do the good and important work of lifting up the status of women in every way — socially, economically, in terms of safety, and in terms of supporting women to have ambition and achieve
their goals that hopefully are driven by ambition and knowing that they can be and do anything.
 
So I’ve asked this group of leaders to join me, as I have when I’ve been traveling the world, asking women in various countries to come together so we can talk about the status of women in our world.  And I’m looking forward to the conversation that we will have.  I’m looking forward to lifting up your stories and sharing your thoughts as I travel the world and use my platform and voice to ensure that we always pay attention to the status of women.
 
So, with that, I thank each of you.  And I will — I will end with a saying that my — my mother had many sayings, and one of them — she would say to me, “Kamala, you may be the first to do many things.  Make sure you’re not the last.”  And I know enough about the leaders at this table to know that that is the spirit with which you do your work. 
 
So, with that, I thank you all.  And I’ll just make a final point that the relationship between the United States and the Republic of Korea is an important one.  It is a strong one.  It is an enduring one.  And we share a responsibility to uphold democratic principles at home and around the world. 
 
I had a very productive and important meeting with the President just before I arrived here, where we reaffirmed the strength of the relationship between our two nations and the work we have ahead.
 
So, with that, I thank you all.  I thank the press.  And we can begin our conversation.
 
Q    Madam Vice President, did you talk about equity with the President?  Did you talk about equity with the President?
 
THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Yes.
 
END