Psycho-social Aspects of Division and Unification – Conference at the Seoul National University

Dr. Keunsik Jung, director of the SNU Institute for Peace and Unification, and Dr. Bernhard Seliger, Resident Representative of the Hanns Seidel Foundation Korea both gave short welcoming remarks. While Dr. Jung referred to the challenges of the future of the Korean Peninsula, Dr. Seliger emphasized the importance of cooperation in trust building. Prof. Dr. Sung-Jo Park of the Free University Berlin gave an insight into the German immigration policy, which in the last two years has faced big challenges. Questions like “How many immigrants can Germany take in?” and „What financial concessions is Germany able to give?” are discussed in both German politics and society.  Afterwards Dr. Young-hae Chi of Oxford University presented the task and problems of immigration politics in Great Britain especially in regard of North Koreans, South Koreans, and Korean Chinese. He concluded that the British government is not demonstrating enough commitment for immigrants from North Korea.

In his presentation Dr. Seliger of the HSF Korea gave an insight into entrepreneurship in East Germany before and after the reunification. He emphasized the transfer of the West German constitution to the East and explained the problems of East German businesses after he reunification. However there are several successful East German businesses. After a lunch break Dr. Jihyun Yoon of SNU gave a presentation about nutrition and nutritional condition of North and South Korean children in Korea. Although there are differences when North Korean children enter South Korea, however after two years the nutritional conditions of the children of both countries are very similar. Afterwards Daewoong Kim of SNU explained difficulties of North Korean children who enter South Korea without their parents had to face.  He introduces a study about those challenges. Heuijeung Kim of SNU described problems in attachment of children to their parents. She also introduced a study to that topic. Joo Ah Lee of SNU explained a study researching how North and South Korean adolescents perceive their own competences as well as their value orientation. Afterwards Yun-jeung Kwon of Sookmyung Women’s University introduced the play theory as a possible healing chance for traumatized children in South Korea.

After two guest speeches Dr. Philo Kim of IPUS and Dr. Chang-Dai Kim of SNU discussed their opinions and questions to the speakers. Prof. Dr. Soonhyung Yi of the Department of Child Development and family studies at the SNU gave short closing words. With the following dinner the conference came to an end.