The 2016 Youth Conference, hosted by the Middle East Municipal Chapter, was held at Dubai Hyatt Regency Hotel from March 1 to March 3 with the theme “Youth-led Unification.” A total of 100 council members, including youth members and overseas Vice-chairpersons, from 33 Municipal Chapters of 5 Provincial Assemblies (Japan, China, ASEAN, America, and Europe) participated in the conference.

This conference was held for youth council members who are under 45 years old and who are from 5 Provincial Assemblies (Japan, China, ASEAN, America, and Europe). It not only strengthened youth members’ capacity for unification but also built networks through inter-youth member communication and organized programs to discuss plans for activities.

The conference kicked off with the orientation, which advanced inter-youth member talk, on March 1 as the first day of the conference, followed by the opening ceremony, keynote speech by Executive Vice-chairperson Yoo Ho-yeol, special lecture by Professor Cho Yun-young of Chung-Ang University, Ahn Je-noh, research fellow of the Institute of National Security Strategy, discussion session with the Vice-chairperson for overseas region, unification talk session, designated debate, etc., on the second day. Result briefings on the designated debate and overall evaluation and more were held on the last day.

“It is meaningful to host a youth conference that drew youth members from diverse states to discuss our unification in Dubai, where our seniors and co-workers create diverse success stories by toiling day and night amid the desert sandstorms. I expect the participants to take a step further as unification leaders by improving understanding of unification and policies against North Korea and by debating and communicating,” said Park Jung-gil, head of the Middle East Municipal Chapter that hosted the conference.

According to Heo Nam-duk, Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Dubai, our people should stand strong and united to establish peace in the Korean peninsula and to achieve unification. “In order to have a united voice, overseas Korean society’s role has never been more important, and NUAC is standing at the center. I hope to hear progressive ideas about peace and unification in Korea through the conference,” he added.

Park Jong-bum, Vice-chairperson of the Europe Chapter, noted that there are expectations for youth members from 33 different chapters to come up with specific activities to cope with North Korea’s radical and reckless actions and to satisfy 80,000,000 people’s desire for peaceful unification while participating in the two-night, three-day program.

“In last year’s Shanghai conference, I wished Middle East would host this year’s event, and it became a reality. I sincerely congratulate Dubai with all my heart for hosting this conference. Young people have a lot of duties, in particular conveying the urgent situation of the Korean peninsula in each nation,” said Lee Chang-ho, Vice-chairperson of the China Chapter.

As the keynote speaker, Executive Vice-chairperson Yoo Ho-yeol noted that lethargy and indifference toward unification and ignorance toward North Korea have been preventing us from reuniting for more than 70 years now. In order to overcome this situation, he called for each government to collect and share information about North Korea, utilize the Internet, SNS, Kakao Talk, etc., to reduce the indifference toward unification, to be more open to the communication methods of the younger generation, and to share thoughts with the older generation while ensuring autonomy; thus emphasizing the role of youth members. He asked the youth to maintain a sense of duty because “appealing for interest and support for Korea’s unification to the leading society & brotherhood society in the country where they reside is the best civil unification diplomacy.”

Professor Cho Yun-young of Chung-Ang University emphasized establishing a wise diplomatic strategy because international relations in East Asia are under turbulent change. According to him, there should be an organic connection between policies against North Korea and other diplomatic policies, and it is time to reevaluate the current policies. “South Korea should not worry whether to choose America-related policies or China-related policies but should pursue instead a win-win relationship with both nations. We need to establish a strategy to survive and strive between ‘US-rebalancing policy’ and China’s ‘new type of major power relationship’”, he added.

Ahn Je-noh, a research fellow of the Institute of National Security Strategy, stressed that the clear situational awareness of North Korea is most important, including the importance of the formation of Korea-led unification environment and continuous preparation for unification. “Adequate foundation of South-North relationship and national awareness and sympathy are important. Thus, clear understanding and awareness should be promoted,” he stressed.

After the lecture, Executive Vice-chairperson Yoo Ho-yeol, Research Fellow Ahn Je-noh of the Institute for National Security Strategy, Professor Cho Yun-young of Chung-Ang University, and Shin Seok-ho, Assistant Editor of the Foreign Desk of Donga-ilbo (Donga Daily News), answered the questions of the youth in the “Unification Story with the Youth,” which took on a talk show format. This was followed by the designated debate session.

Unification and public diplomacy led by foreign youth members, effective means of creating unification materials, facilitation of the activities of youth members of the conference, methods of organizing foreign region meeting programs, etc., were discussed and presented during the designated debate session.

Through the discussion, youth members understood each nation’s situation and exchanged thoughts on adequate remedies. Moreover, as measures for increasing sympathy, use of the Internet, SNS, animation, and handouts to enhance accessibility gained the approval of many participants. The idea of broadening the role and scope of NUAC youth council members also drew popular support.

Furthermore, the 2016 Youth Conference adopted a resolution regarding unification as the nation’s dream and hope. The conference ended with all participating members singing “Our Wish” while holding hands.