The 2013 South America Conference of the Next Generation of Korean People was held on May 24 and 25 at Bourbon Alphaville Hotel in Sao Paulo, Brazil to enhance the unification awareness of the youth living in South America and consolidate unification ability.
A total of 72 persons attended the conference -- which was held with the theme "Unification! Future of the 21st-Century Republic of Korea" -- including 16 members of the Busan Yeoje-gu Municipal Chapter, heads, and youth members of the municipal chapters of Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Paraguay, and Chile.

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  Special lecture by Jo Soon, representative of Sidmax

  After the orientation for the youth members on May 24, they attended a special lecture on "Youth, Have a Dream" given by Jo Soon, representative of Sidmax Company, one of the top 4 international trading companies of Brazil.

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  Opening speech by Park Dae-geun, Head of the Brazil Municipal Chapter

  The opening ceremony was held on May 29.
  
  "It's the 50th anniversary of Korean immigration to Brazil. It is our great honor to hold a Next-Generation Conference in Brazil. I hope this conference will be helpful to our young generation in Brazil in taking on the important challenge of achieving the peaceful unification of our fatherland," said Park Dae-geun, Head of the Brazil Municipal Chapter, in his opening speech.

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  Consul General Park Sang-sik to Sao Paulo

  According to Consul General Park Sang-sik to Sao Paulo, it is meaningful to hold a next-generation conference in Brazil at a time when the national security crisis is being exacerbated due to the nuclear test by North Korea. He asked the youth members to broaden the empathy for national unification.

"I hope our young generation understands the issues of the Korean Peninsula more correctly. Likewise, may this conference be a valuable opportunity for them to enhance their will for national unification," said Kim Yeong-hwi, Head of the Central American and Caribbean Municipal Chapter, in his congratulatory address.

For his part, Bang Jong-seok, Head of the western branch of South America Municipal Chapter, vowed that they will assist in building networks for young Koreans in the Central and South America to consider the issue of national unification.

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  Keynote address by Park Jong-cheol, senior researcher

  Park Jong-cheol, senior researcher of the Korea Institute for National Unification, gave a keynote address after the opening ceremony.
  Park Jong-cheol, researcher of the Korea Institute of National Unification, gave a lecture on the "Appropriateness and Future of the Unification of the Korean Peninsula and the Youth" and explained the following: △ significance and goal of unification; △ status and benefits of a Unified Korea; △ vision of a Unified Korea; △ preparation for unification, and; △ roles of the youth.
  "The status of Korea can be upgraded to one of the top-class advanced countries in the world when the two Koreas are united. If we could get rid of the Korea Risk such as threat of North Korean nuclear weapons, we can consolidate people's energies and share the new vision of the country, overcoming the problem of aging society and global competition for natural resources and securing markets," he explained.
  He pointed out that the cost of national unification was exaggerated among the young generations. According to him, job opportunities can be expanded based on psychological stability through national unification. The young generations can have new dreams through the expanded space of livelihood, he stresses.
  Discussion on the "Roles of the Youth for the Peaceful Unification of the Korean Peninsula" followed the keynote lecture.

Jo Woo-hyun, member of the Central America and Caribbean Municipal Chapter, presided over the discussion; the youth members presented their views on national unification with understanding and confidence as well as the importance of history education based on national unification and confidence. In addition, they discussed ways of promoting the unification movement and action plans of the National Unification Advisory Council.
Hwang Ji-yeong, member of the West Part of South America Municipal Chapter, believes that we should approach the issue of national unification at the level of protecting human rights to convince other countries.
"Koreans speaking the Korean language in Argentina are decreasing, which may cause the loss of identity of Koreans and declining awareness of unification of our fatherland. It is necessary for the Korean immigrants in Argentina to have a double identity of respecting the values of both Korea and Argentina," said Koo Gwang-mo, member of the West Part of South America Municipal Chapter, in the discussion.
Meanwhile, according to Lee Jae-chun, member of the Iksan Municipal Chapter of Jeollabuk-do, it is important, above all, to conduct history education in the right way to inspire young Koreans to be patriotic.
Lee Jo-eun, member of Brazil Korea Junior Chamber International, compared the unification education of Korea with that of Germany. "The unification education of Korea should change such that education is focused on action learning attitude instead of promoting knowledge and long-term education that combines the courses before and after national unification. Such education should be provided not only to students but to the whole nation as well," he stressed.
According to Han Hee-guk, member of the Brazil Municipal Chapter, we need to approach the issue based on the concept of "National Harmony" rather than the gigantic subject of national unification of the Korean Peninsula to pursue unification efforts more easily. When we help others in the international relations with our nation's founding principle of Humanitarianism, they will help us achieve our national unification, he says.
Jo Woo-hyun, member of the Central American and Caribbean Municipal Chapter, emphasized the need to develop diverse programs to enhance unification awareness among the next generation, such as unification essay writing contest, drawing and oratorical speech contest, and unification concert.
Youth members had group discussions to express their individual opinions.

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  Group discussion

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  Reporting the results of group discussion

The participants were divided into 4 groups to discuss the following: △ Policy toward North Korea by the Park Geun-hye Administration; △ Improvement of human rights in North Korea; △ Enhancement of unification awareness of Korean youth overseas, and; △ Revitalized exchange of youth members in Central and South America.

The Conference lasted until 8 in the evening due to the heated debate and ended with the singing of the unification song by the participants with their hands joined.

Meanwhile, Dr. Park Jong-cheol gave a lecture on national unification on May 22 and 23 in Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo as part of said Conference.

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  Lecture on national unification at the West Part of South America Municipal Chapter

  Dr. Park explained the Park Geun-hye Administration’s policy for North Korea including △ the environment of national unification, △ basic direction of the unification policy, △ normalization of South-North relations through the Korean Peninsula Trust-Building Process, △ practical preparation for national unification, and △ roles of overseas Koreans.

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  Lecture on national unification at the Brazil Municipal Chapter

  Dr. Park's lecture was given at a time when South-North relations were again strained by the nuclear test and shutting down of Gaeseong Industrial Complex by the North. Thus, the members of the Central South America municipal chapters and compatriots in the region showed keen interest in the lecture.