IFES Holds an International Online Conference

The Institute for Far Eastern Studies (IFES) of KU and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) Korea Office held an international online conference titled North Korea International: (Re)Evaluating, (Re)Viewing, and (Re)Connecting in a COVID World, on October 7. The conference was held online to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The opening remarks by Lee Kwan-sei, the director of IFES, and the welcoming remarks by Christian Taaks, the head of FNF Korea Office marked the beginning of the conference. The first part of the conference was hosted by Hwang Ji-wan, a professor at the University of Seoul, covering North Korea International: Re-evaluating Relations and Sanctions. Accordingly, experts from each field gave presentations on the various topics: Reassessing Relations and Diplomacy with North Korea in a COVID-19 World: Challenges and Prospects, Adapting Sanctions: Blocking Bad Behavior, Facilitating Cooperation, Inter-Korean Relations in a COVID World: Re-evaluation Policy and Prospects, and North Korea and the World: Redefining the role for Europe.

The second session of the conference was presided by Dean Ouellette, an assistant director of IFES, dealing with (Re)Viewing North Korea to Build the Foundation for Future Exchanges. And under the theme of Resetting Humanitarian Engagement with North Korea: Lessons from History, North Korea Online: (Re)connecting through ICT with North Korea, National Parks, Protected Areas and Biodiversity Conservation in North Korea: Opportunities for International Collaboration, and Lessons for Working in North Korea: Sharing Situational Experience. For reference, the video clip of the conference can be viewed again on the YouTube channel of IFES (https://youtu.be/X47M2fjl4_c).