President Park made an opening remark in the International Conference. He said, “There have been many achievements through the inter-Korean summit and the U.S.-North Korea summit. However, there are still many problems left to solve. The situation in East Asia is becoming more complex. Accordingly, we need to have deep discussions on how to settle the peace and make a future for the Korean Peninsula.” Kim Yeon Chul, the Minister of Unification, expressed expectations for working-level negotiation of U.S.-North Korea and said, “It might be difficult to narrow the gap between the two sides. There are also certain roles that inter-Korean relations must play in the process of creating peace on the Korean Peninsula.” He also said that IFES and the University of North Korean Studies are recongnized for their expertise and influence, and was thankful that they take the same path as the think tank for North Korea policy.