KU Co-Hosts 2025 Peace Forum with Soka University and Chinese Culture University

Kyungnam, Soka, and Chinese Culture Universities Co-host 2025 Peace Forum

 On June 13, former Minister of Unification and current President of KU (Kyungnam University) Park Jae Kyu hosted the “2025 Peace Forum” at the Peace Hall of Changjo Gwan. The forum, held in collaboration with Soka University (SU) in Japan and Chinese Culture University (CCU) in Taiwan, was centered on the theme, “The Launch of the Second Trump Administration, Prospects for Change in the Northeast Asian Situation, and the Responses of the Three Countries.” The event was divided into three sub-topics, featuring presentations and discussions focused on the potential changes in Northeast Asia following a second Trump presidency and the respective responses of South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. KU President Park Jae Kyu opened the forum by expressing hope that it would serve as a venue for thoughtful analysis of evolving international affairs and sincere dialogue. He emphasized that the event would strengthen the foundation for peace in Northeast Asia, building on the friendship and cooperation among the participating countries. Following this, Mika Suzuki, President of SU delivered a video opening address reaffirming the importance of peace and collaboration in the region.

Session 1: Prospects for the South Korea’s Northeast Asia Policy

 The first session, “South Korea’s Next Government: Northeast Asia Policy Proposal with a Focus on North Korea,” featured professor Choi Young-joon of the Institute for Far Eastern Studies (IFES). He urged redefining South Korea’s vision for interKorean relations in response to the North’s “two-state” stance, proposing an end to psychological warfare, honoring existing agreements, restoring dialogue channels, and pursuing a balanced approach within major power diplomacy Tamai Hideki, a professor of Peace Studies, International Relations at SU, warned that recent geopolitical shifts have unsettled Northeast Asia’s strategic balance and urged South Korea to pursue flexible diplomacy. Wei Chia-yin, an assistant professor in the Political Science Department at CCU noted that Korea’s policy proposals provide insights for regional issues like cross-strait relations and called for more comparative research.

Session 2: Prospects for Changes in U.S.-China-Russia Relations and Japan's Response

 The second session focused on “The Strategic Triangle and Japan: Changes in U.S.-China-Russia Relations with the Second Trump Administration and Japan’s Response”. Koide Minoru, a director and professor of the Graduate School of International Peace Studies at SU, assessed that shifts in the strategic triangle present significant challenges and opportunities for Japanese diplomacy. He pointed to the rise of China, Russia’s growing strategic dependence, and the uncertainties in U.S. global policies during the Trump era as major destabilizing factors affecting Japan’s diplomatic stability.Lim Eul-chul, an assistant professor and director of research at the IFES at KU, stressed the importance of stronger Korea-Japan-U.S. trilateral cooperation, economic security networks, and historical conflict management amid U.S.-China-Russia tensions. Chen Roger S., a professor in the Department of Public Administration and Management at CCU highlighted Japan’s need to redefine its global role, noting its decisions under uncertain U.S. policies will greatly impact regional security.

Session 3: Prospects for Changes in the Cross-Strait Relations and Taiwan's Response

 The third session addressed “Using AI Technology to Construct an Early Warning Model for Taiwan Strait.” Chang Chia-chun, the former director of the Institute of Labor Studies at CCU introduced research on AI-based early warning systems. He explained that advanced techniques, including the GPT-3 Davinci model and strategic game theory were employed to simulate strategic actions by the U.S., China, and Taiwan, allowing empirical analysis of potential conflict scenarios. Lee Sang-man, a visiting professor at the IFES highlighted the study as a practical policy tool, combining AI, economic models, and game theory to predict conflict and enhance crisis management amid U.S.-China tensions. Jonathan Luckhurst, a director of the Global Govermance and professor of International Relations at the Graduate School of International Peace Studies at SU, added that while information uncertainty poses risks, AI and language models are vital for improving crisis response.

Emphasis on Continued Academic Cooperation for Northeast Asian Peace

 The Peace Forum began in 2017 in Okinawa, Japan, as part of trilateral peace research cooperation among Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. Held annually on a rotating basis, it has addressed international affairs and regional security. The 2025 Peace Forum brought together over 200 participants, including more than 20 experts from the three countries. KU President Park Jae Kyu emphasized that in the rapidly changing Northeast Asian landscape, academic cooperation and practical dialogue are essential for building peace and expressed hope that the Forum would continue to serve as a foundation for regional peace and cooperation.