ADRN

East Asia Institute (EAI) is hosting the KF-EAI Korea Friendship project, sponsored by Korea Foundation (KF) and Samyang Holdings Corporation, offering educational and networking opportunities to international students residing in Korea.

The third lecture of [KF-EAI Korea Friendship], titled, “Unification of Korea Peninsula and Peace of East Asia”, was given by former Minister of Unification, Ryoo, Kihl-Jae. He explained that the Korean peninsula’s national identity is weakening because of the prolongation of the peninsula’s division. He urged young people to keep thinking concretely about what a desirable unification might look like, rather than merely contemplating whether or not the North and South should unify. He stressed that, in the 21st century, the issue of unification demands new ways of thinking about the issue—particularly about the means of unification. He argued that this change in thinking about unification will require the reaching of a “consensus of consciousness”, or mutual agreement to pursue values like coexistence, cooperation, and reciprocity.