In November 2022, the Hanns Seidel Foundation, the East Asian-Australian Flyway Partnership, and the Asian Bird Fair organized a project under the theme of “Management of flyways of Asia – similarities, common challenges, overlap, and differences”. As part of that, on November 22nd, the participants visited the Wadden areas of Sorae Estuary and Namdong Reservoir in Incheon.

In November 2022, the Hanns Seidel Foundation, the East Asian-Australian Flyway Partnership, and the Asian Bird Fair organized a project under the theme of “Management of flyways of Asia – similarities, common challenges, overlap, and differences”. As part of that, on November 20th, the participants visited the Asian Bird Fair in Suncheon to network and exchange recent information between various international organizations in the field.

One of the significant challenges of climate change is the threat of a dramatic loss of biodiversity. Though we are only beginning to understand the underlying complexities, the possibility of a new wave of mass extinctions is given. Therefore, preserving biodiversity becomes an integral part of mitigating climate change - especially the conservation of migratory birds and their habitat is a very important bio-indicator for a healthy environment. As a background, the flyway conference took place with experts from Central Asia Flyway and East Asian-Australasian Flyway on 23 November. It could make a difference in fostering networks among flyways and across flyways and establishing Hanns Seidel Foundation as part of a larger network of institutions working on biodiversity and climate issues.

The conference of Hanns-Seidel-Foundation Korea and the Council for Diplomacy on Korean Unification "30 Years of South Korea-China relations: Assessment and Prospects". China plays a pivotal role for the fate of the Korean Peninsula. But how will this role play out? 30 years ago there was great enthusiasm about diplomatic relations, rising trade and the hope for mutual understanding. By now, this has largely evaporated and many observers rather talk of a new Cold War. This conference brings together Korean, Chinese and foreign experts to discuss the future of relations and a constructive role of China on the Korean Peninsula.

The Institute for Peace Affairs (IPA) just published the latter half of this year’s edition of “The Korean Journal of Unification Affairs”. In the journal, several scholars contributed articles in the context of unification affairs on the Korean Peninsula and offered their expertise on various topics.

For more than 30 years already, since 1986, “The Journal of Economic Integration” makes progress by highlighting research in the field of economics and integration, pointing out policy implications of the ongoing process of globalization. Economic integration is multidimensional and covers various fields in economics. Articles which are published in the Journal help the reader to gain a deeper understanding of resolving common problems, financial crises, poverty, income inequality, and much more.

UN Biodiversity COP 15: By 2030: Protect 30% of Earth’s lands, oceans, coastal areas, and inland waters.

The protection of oceans from pollution and the protection of marine biodiversity is an increasingly important topic, directly linked to the livelihood of millions of people, but also the ecological health. Thus, on November 28, 2022, the Korea Maritime Institute convened in Seoul a group of experts from Korea and abroad to discuss the issues of inter-Korean cooperation for sustainable oceans and coasts. Dr. Bernhard Seliger, the representative of HSF Korea, held a presentation on “Marine Protected Areas in DPRK and HSF ‘s support to DPRK on bio-diversity and (coastal) wetlands“, introducing MPAs, fisheries, and coastal wetlands in North Korea and how they can be supported by international capacity building.

The new release from the magazine MIDAS was published, the article highlighted Natural Disaster and Catastrophes by Dr. Bernhard Seliger. Climate change, large-scale damage, and human limitations are the key aspects of the article.

Within November 2022, HSF Korea invited Mr. Craig Boljkovac, a former UN expert based in Geneva, to participate in DPRK related events: A special lecture of Dr. Bernhard Seliger at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and the Pyongyang Perspectives Meeting

The symposium “Berlin-Seoul-Pyongyang - capital cities in functional comparison” was held at Korean Chamber of Commerce on 25th of November, 2022. The main discussion was an exchange of different fields between Seoul and Pyongyang based, focused also on Berlin and Germany’s history of unification. Along with Seoul Research Institute, the Foundation Hanns-Seidel hosted the event in which experts from relevant fields gathered.

On December 14, 2022, HSF hosted an online seminar on “Renewable Energies in German municipalities. Example: District of Bayreuth” Bernd Rothammel, Geoecologist, and Climate Protection Manager, was invited as the main speaker to present his project experience on climate protection management, especially focused on renewable energies, of the district of Bayreuth.

Conservation Tourism in Yeoncheon Imjin River Biosphere Reserve was held on 26-27th November. Hanns Seidel Foundation Korea participated with Dr. Seliger on 26th and Dr. Choi HyunAh on 27th of November in the conservation tourism along with East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership Secretariat, international expert, eBird Project Leader, Mr Marshall Iliff and citizen sciences hosted by Birds Korea and Yeoncheon County.

Dr. Bernhard Seliger held a presentation on “The process of German Unification and the Challenge of Internal Unity- lessons for Korea” for the Presidential Committee for National Cohesion in Korea. He gave insights to the process of German unification from a German point of view, answered questions on the developments and current status, and impact of the unification. In particular, he explained the steps Germany has taken to enable reunification and integration, as well as whether South Korea can derive any lessons for a potential unification process.

Besides the projects which HSF hosted independently and in collaboration with its partners, the Hanns Seidel Foundation in Korea also attended external events in November, including the ARC Conference 2022 Water–Food–Energy Nexus in Ecosystems and the 2022 DMZ International Forum.

In November 2022, Hanns-Seidel-Foundation Korea and Birds Korea brought together local researchers and activists from around the country for a workshop in Suncheon for the first time, as a side event to the Asian Bird Fair Suncheon. The workshop assembled key environmental specialists to discuss the protection of the Scaly-Sided merganser and preserving healthy Korean rivers through Scaly-Sided Merganser protection, since, in Korea, awareness on this topic is still lacking.

On December 18, 2022, HSF and The Institute for Peace Affairs hosted the 37th Tongil Hankuk Forum with a special lecture by Hon. Mr. Dendev Terbishdagva, former Vice Prime Minister of Mongolia, on social integration in Germany after unification and the perspectives for Korean integration.

On December 1st, the HSF research interns Nastassja Amling and Mieke Krupp were the invited speakers at the KOR-GER Knowledge Sharing Seminar organized by the South-North Korea Exchanges And Cooperation Support Association (SONOSA) to share their experience on post-reunification in Germany and its impact on the German society.

In October there were other numerous activities for the HSF Korea - forums and meetings such as for sustainable development, SDGs and cooperation and integration in the Baltic Sea Region and East Asia.