Forum
HSF at the Korea Global Forum for Peace 2020
With the theme ‘Peace and Prosperity on the Korean Peninsula – Past, Present and Future’, the Korea Global Forum for Peace (KGFP) took place from 7th to 9th September 2020. Participants and viewers could join the forum not at the conference hall, but through the YouTube Live Streaming due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Bernhard Seliger and Dr. Hyun-ah Choi of Hanns Seidel Foundation Korea were invited as moderator and discussants at three side-events.
Dr. Bernhard Seliger, the representative of HSF Korea presented and discussed about ‘Direction and Tasks of Inter-Korean Disaster Cooperation' at session 4-2 on 8th September. Speakers stated the relationship between South and North Korea can be strengthen through inter-Korean disaster cooperation and joint research of natural disaster and its social impacts. In this regard, Dr. Seliger stated that sudden agreements are not possible, however, miniscule actions could be possible, which lead to an improvement of the situation and building trust.
At session 5-2, Dr. Hyun-ah Choi discussed the topic ‘Humanitarian Support and Regional Development with North Korea through a Social Solidarity Economy’. Presenters explained the combination of Social Solidarity Economy and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and its relations to cooperative communities in socialist regimes such as North Korea. Dr. Choi illustrated the example of international cooperation with North Korea based on the experiences of HSF Korea and shared ideas on the direction of cooperation related to SDGs. She added that people-to-people exchange is one critical element.
Speakers exchanged opinions about ‘Inter-Korean Agricultural Development Cooperation for Realization of Peace Economy on the Korean Peninsula’ at the last session 8-3 in which HSF participated. Dr. Seliger led the session as a moderator. Speakers mentioned structural problems in the North Korean agriculture sector and potential economic impacts though inter-Korean cooperation in agricultural development zones. Subsequently, speakers agreed during the discussion that it is crucial to offer assistance that has a long-term perspective and supports the development of rural communities, rather than sending one-time aid that only temporarily mitigates the severe humanitarian situation in the country.
You can watch KGFP 2020 in a full version at here:
www.youtube.com/channel/UCifmGGvCj859E0dPTwF5BXg
You can watch the sessions HSF were involved here (available in Korean and English):
S4-2 Direction and Tasks of Inter-Korean Disaster Cooperation
www.youtube.com/watch (English)
www.youtube.com/watch (Korean)
S5-2 Humanitarian Support and Regional Development with North Korea through a Social Solidarity Economy
www.youtube.com/watch (English)
www.youtube.com/watch (Korean)
S8-3 Inter-Korean Agricultural Development Cooperation for Realization of Peace Economy on the Korean Peninsula
www.youtube.com/watch (English)
www.youtube.com/watch (Korean)