Establishment of the Gangwon Reunification Forum in Chuncheon
Founding Meeting and Future Plans of the Forum

HSF Korea project manager Young-Soo Kim together with the participants of the founding meeting.

The Kangwon National University and RIG (Research Institute for Gangwon Province) founded the Gangwon Reunification Forum on March 22, 2018. The founding meeting took place at Kwangwon National University in Chuncheon. As founding members of the forum, 20 reunification experts were invited by the two founding organizations (Kangwon National University and RIG). These include et al. Prof. Dr. Kim Hon-Young (President of Kangwon University), Mr. Yuk Dong-Han (President of RIG) and Dr. Bernhard Seliger (project manager of HSF Korea).

The Gangwon Reunification Forum should meet regularly - every two months or more - and deal with various topics (politics, business, society, the environment, etc.). In the first discussion, the participants expressed a couple of important ideas:

• Kangwon University will intensify research activities on reunification and reunification education for students.

• The forum should not be a one-time event but should be held regularly.

• If the political constellation between South and North Korea improves, a student exchange between the South and North Gangwon provinces can be initiated. A partnership between Gangwon University in the south and Wonsan University in the north is conceivable.

• A joint sports event, such as the South and North Gang won marathon, is best held in Goseong County (HSF Korea Partner County).