 Over 300 university attended the forum to address unification issues. Image: Moon Eun Ju |
300 college students, both domestic and
international, gathered at the “2014 Collegiate Panel Discussion: Youth Voices
on Korean Unification” on August 14th at the International Conference Hall of
the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The event aimed to outline the active role students play in unification
of the Korean peninsula.
The participating students presented a
report titled, “A Declaration to All Citizens: Youth Perspectives on
Unification”. This report called for South Korea to “above all else, hasten
continuous and systematic preparations prepare for unification, regardless of
North Korea’s undetermined future.”
“It’s important for all citizens to
participate and be ready [for unification]; students in particular should be
active participants. We are holding this panel in hopes that North and South
Korean students open their minds and create a strong unified voice,” the
declaration stated.
Students included a message to the “Kim Il
Sung Socialist Youth League” that “unification must not be regarded solely as
the responsibility of the governments in either nation. Let us overcome an era
of hostility and let us, those who want to live in an era of harmony, be the
catalyst for change. The declaration encouraged youth in both North and South to come together, “We must hold each other’s hands
before our differences become impossible to overcome.”
A prominent feature of the event was a
discussion panel on six chief factors in unification: politics, society,
education, economics, youth, and media.
Moon Dong Hui, chairman of Young NK, said
during the panel session, “It is hard for young students to hold the idea of
unification close to their hearts because they didn’t directly experience
separation, nor are there a plethora of opportunities to learn about
unification. It’s crucial for students to realize the need for unification, but
at present our society does not provide the means to do so, instead citing insufficient
interest in the issue.”
Moon went on to stress the significance of
creating a national youth-based network, free from regional constraints and
better equipped to collaborate on issues. He also addressed the pivotal roles
awareness and exposure play in future scenarios on the peninsula, “We must also
enliven North South youth exchange programs that are well prepared for the
social aspects of unification. It is hard for the Korean society to embrace
anything different from it because it lacks tolerance by nature. It is possible
that hostility and segregation toward North Korean people can intensify after
unification; so we must work now through these exchanges to prevent this fall
out.”
Lee Chul Hoon, representing Bait Magazine,
a current affairs publication, followed during the media portion of the panel,
“In the case of German unification, West Germany’s media was crucial in providing information, invigorating
people’s desire for unification, and bridging the gap between West and East German
citizens. Considering the impact media had on German unification, the Korean
media and related policies are paramount in unification on the peninsula.”
Lee urged attendees to find solutions to
existing issues. “Broadcasting to North Korea has the advantage of relaying
outside information to people in the North, but to actually put this into
practice requires addressing several problems. Airtime must be increased and
radio frequencies improved so that North Koreans can tune in without barriers
such as white noise,” he explained.
North Korea Research Society for
Unification representative, Kim Jae Woo, spoke during the education part of the
panel. He noted, “Unification has been at the back of students’ minds because
of inadequate assessments of education on unification, curriculums that are not
oriented for the future, and methods of teaching that are unable to attract
interest from students. Under the current system, unification education is
merely suggested; it is crucial to make it a mandatory part of the curriculum.”
Kim suggested hands-on education such as
unification camps, essay contests, or concerts as experiences through which
students could reflect on and better understand unification matters.
Headed by NK Net, the panel featured guests
from the Students Alliance for Human Rights in North Korea, Bait Magazine,
Zeitgeist Youth Committee, Unification Supporters, Korean University Students
Forum, The Youth Forum, and the Student
Unification Research Council.
