[Newsis] Universal Peace Federation (UPF) Russian Conference “Founding of the Northeast Asia Federation” Urgently Needed for the Sake of Peace and Development

Northeast Asia is currently in a very unstable situation. China and Japan are ready to collide at any moment, due to the Senkaku islands conflict, while sparks of friction are being ignited between Korea and Japan over Dokdo. Northeast Asia is further endangered by the development of nuclear weapons by North Korea.

In order to solve these problems from a nongovernmental perspective, the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), the Russian Far East Federation University Historical Research Society and the Russian Science Academy, Far East Branch co-hosted a Russian International Leaders’ Conference titled, “A Roadmap for the Development of Peace in Northeast Asia.” The conference was held on the 30th in the Hyundai Hotel in Vladivostok, Russia, the bridgehead for peace in Northeast Asia.

The conference was attended by about 100 people, including specialists from the six party talks of Korea, Russia, America, Japan and China.

Eurasian UPF Chair Jin-Hwa Chung said, “From a geopolitical standpoint, Northeast Asia is all threatened with all of these tie-ups, especially in the Korean Peninsula. Although the government does play an important role in overcoming this crisis, we also need nongovernmental soft projects carried out by citizens of society in order to resolve conflict and maintain peace. This is why we have held this International Leadership Conference: to prevent conflict in Northeast Asia on a nongovernmental level, and to promote reconciliation. The founders of UPF, Rev. Sun Myung Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, visited North Korea and privately met with Premier Kim Il Sung in 1991 in order to bring about peace in Northeast Asia. They have constantly worked on a nongovernmental level to promote understanding and cooperation between North and South. Upon the foundation of trust of nongovernmental academic forums, cultural and sports exchange for permanent peace and security in Northeast Asia centering on the Korean Peninsula, we support the idea of the establishment of a governmental association of countries in Northeast Asia, similar to such organizations as the European Union or the African Union,”

Tae-Ik Chung, Chairman of the Korean Council for International Affairs and former Ambassador in Moscow, emphasized the creation of a new role for Korea within Northeast Asia in his message, “International Political Structure Changes and Korean Diplomacy.” “In order to construct a forward looking, peace-centered relationship between the countries around the Korean Peninsula (America, China, Japan, Russia), a cooperative executive office should be established in Seoul between Korea, Japan and China. Alternately, an Asian business could be established that grants multiple degrees to exchange students who are studying in Korea, China or Japan. Long-term efforts will resolve the conflict between Korea and China, Korea and Japan and China and Japan. This will help Korea take on its new role as the leader in bringing about peace and security in Northeast Asia,” he explained.

Dr. Valery Y. Mishin, head of the Center for Security Problems at the Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography of the Peoples of the Far East, gave a talk titled, “A Perspective on the Unfolding of the Situation of North Korea in the Korean Peninsula,” in which he advised acute attention to every move of North Korea in order to bring about peace in Northeast Asia. “Every small military and political move causes sensitive reactions in the surrounding countries of America, Korea, China and Japan. However, much of the information about North Korea turns out to be false, which makes it very difficult for specialists to predict what they will actually do. However, with the 2014 purge of Song-Taek Jang and the national broadcast of Kim Jong-Un’s New Year’s message, they have been revealing to the outside press much more than they used to. This may be a peek into Kim Jong-Un’s intention to develop and reform the country. In the Six party talks, Russia needs to persuade North Korea to come out of isolation. Furthermore, both Park Geun-Hye of South Korea and Kim Jong-Un of North Korea carry the weight of their father’s responsibility on their shoulders. The common language shared between the two may be the key to unlocking the relationship between the two nations. Let us deal with this issue in patience for the sake of peace in Northeast Asia,” advised Dr. Mishin.

Dr. Chuang Chzhanzhong, Deputy Director of the International Center of the Chinese Committee for Energy, spoke on methods for the denuclearization of North Korea in his talk, “The Three Party Talks, Six Party Talks and Denuclearization.” Under the title, “The Security of Northeast Asia Depends on the Conversation between Regions,” he suggested the Tumen River be established as a free commerce region as a way to build peace in Northeast Asia and bring about economic cooperation. Dr. Victor Larin, director of the Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography of the Peoples in the Far East, gave a talk. And Thomas Walsh, UPF World Chair, spoke on the “Significance of Conversation, Unofficial Diplomacy and Private Organizations in Bringing about Peace and Development in the Korean Peninsula.” Dr. Alexander Zebin (director of the Center for Korean Studies at the Institute of the Far East, the Russian Academy of Sciences) spoke about “Russia’s Efforts to Bring Peace in the Korean Peninsula.” Korean UPF Chairman Dr. Jeung-Rho Yoon spoke on “How Peace in the Korean Peninsula will Effect Peace in Northeast Asia.” About 21 speakers gave presentations at the conference, followed by a question and answer session about peace in Northeast Asia.

UPF has already held three similar international conferences for peace in Northeast Asia in Tokyo, Seoul and Washington, D.C. After the fourth  conference in Russia, they plan to hold the fifth and sixth conferences in China and North Korea. UPF, a special advisory organization to the UN Economic and Social Council, is an NGO that transcends national borders, race, religion and theology, and carries out peace initiatives on a global scale, in order to bring about world peace under the vision of “One Family Under God.”

On the 30th (local time), the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), the Russian Far East Federation University Historical Research Society and the Russian Science Academy Far East Branch co-hosted a Russian International Leadership Conference titled, “A Roadmap for the Development of Peace in Northeast Asia,” at the Hyundai Hotel in Vladivostok, Russia. This was the fourth conference held by UPF to discuss peace in Northeast Asia.

Dr. Victor Larin, director of the Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography of the Peoples in the Far East, gave a talk.

This conference was attended by representatives of UPF, the Russian Far Eastern Federal University and specialists from Korea, America, Japan and China. These attendees served as representatives of the nations of the six party talks at the conference, which was prepared as a stage upon which solutions to the conflict in Northeast Asia could be found.

UPF, a special advisory organization to the UN Economic and Social Council, has already held three similar international conferences for peace in Northeast Asia in Tokyo, Seoul and Washington, D.C. After the fourth conference in Russia, they plan to hold the fifth and sixth conferences in China and North Korea.

On the 30th (local time), the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), the Russian Far East Federation University Historical Research Society and the Russian Science Academy Far East Branch co-hosted a Russian International Leadership Conference titled, “A Roadmap for the Development of Peace in Northeast Asia,” at the Hyundai Hotel in Vladivostok, Russia. This was the fourth conference held by UPF to discuss peace in Northeast Asia.

Dr. Jeung-Rho Yoon, UPF Korean Chair, gives a speech titled, “Peace in Northeast Asia Begins with Peace in the Korean Peninsula.”

This conference was attended by representatives of UPF, the Russian Far Eastern Federal University and specialists from Korea, America, Japan and China. These attendees served as representatives of the nations of the six party talks at the conference, which was prepared as a stage upon which solutions to the conflict in Northeast Asia could be found.

UPF, a special advisory organization to the UN Economic and Social Council, has already held three similar international conferences for peace in Northeast Asia in Tokyo, Seoul and Washington, D.C. After the fourth conference in Russia, they plan to hold the fifth and sixth conferences in China and North Korea.