The “2015 Forum for the Peaceful Unification of Korea between Korea and Australia“ was held on Nov. 11 at the federal congress hall in Canberra, Australia to spread the bond of sympathy for preparations for the unification of the Korean Peninsula and improve human rights in North Korea.

A total of 170 persons including overseas Koreans living in Australia, Korean study scholars, students, journalists, figures from political circles, and government attended the forum held under the subject of “Seeking Korea-Australia Cooperation for the Unification of the Korean Peninsula.“

The opening ceremony kicked off with the opening address of Lee Sook-jin, head of the Australian chapter of NUAC; this was followed by the welcome remarks by Kim Bong-hun, Korean Ambassador to Australia, congratulatory speech by Julie Bishop, Foreign Minister of Australia, and keynote address by Hyun Kyung-dae, Executive Vice-chairperson of NUAC.

“We will have better understanding of the violation of human rights by the North Korean regime and diagnose the roles of Australia in preparing for the unification of the Korean Peninsula on the occasion of this forum. The NUAC Australian Chapter will fulfill its basic role of shaping the social opinions of the Australian society to pass the North Korean Human Rights Act,” said Lee Sook-jin said in her opening speech.

Ambassador Kim said in his welcome speech that the reports of Michael Kirby, chairman of the UN Committee for Investigating Human Rights in North Korea, can be regarded as a guidebook in realizing justice of the 21st century, and that cooperation between South Korea and Australia is essential to promote the unification of the Korean Peninsula.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop offered her congratulations for the holding of the forum and noted that the activities of the NUAC Australian Chapter would ultimately show a road map to unifying the two Koreas. According to her, the horrible reality of human rights in North Korea was disclosed plainly by Michael Kirby’s reports, and Australia supports the UN in taking firm measures against North Korea for the issue.

• South Korea and Australia have a blood alliance, and we have been partners in free democracy and market economy for the past 65 years. Strong support of and cooperation with Australia will show the way to unifying the two Koreas as President Park Geun-hye’s unification diplomacy gears up in international societies. The improvement of human rights in North Korea will be an essential process leading to the peaceful and democratic unification of the Korean Peninsula. The reports of the UN Commission of Inquiry (COI) led by Michael Kirby, former supreme court justice of Australia, attracted the attention of international societies to the human rights issue of North Korea; now, all of us should make all-out efforts to have the COI recommendation implemented,“ NUAC Executive Vice-chairperson Hyun Kyung-dae said in his keynote address.

At the first session of the forum, MP Craig Londy of the Party of Freedom and MP Michael Danby and MP Andrew Lee of the Labor Party gave talks about the issue.

According to MP Craig Londy, he discussed the human rights of North Korea with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to support the efforts of the NUAC Australia Assembly after Michael Kirby’s reports were released. The North Korean Human Rights Act will be brought to the federal congress of Australia to be enacted, he said.

“Improving the human rights of North Korea is a moral homework of the whole world. Personal rights infringed by the North Korean regime are verified anew by Michael Kirby’s Reports, and this forum is very important in providing proper measures to address the issue,“ said MP Michael Danby.

MP Andrew Lee of the same party said he could not stop shedding tears upon seeing the horrible sights of North Korea as disclosed by Michael Kirby’s reports. “There should be no ruling and opposition parties in Australia in making political efforts to improve the human rights in North Korea as it has now become a worldwide issue,“ he stressed.

The second session of the forum was held under the subject of “Preparation for the unification of the Korean Peninsula and Korea-Australia partnership.” Prof. Kim Jeong-bong (secretary of the standing committee of NUAC) hosted the session, with Dr. Emma Campbell (professor of Australia National University), Prof. Choi Min-ja of Sungshin Women’s Univ. of Korea, Prof. Hong Kyu-deok of Sookmyung Women’s Univ. of Korea, and Attorney Hong Kyung-il serving as panelists.

Prof. Emma Campbell presented her view on the “New nationalism of Korea” and “Fixed division of Korea and social and economic gap between South and North Korea.”

Prof. Choi Min-ja talked about the “Cooperative Relations between South Korea and Australia,” noting that the Korean-Australian partnership should be recognized by and between the people of the two countries to develop it continuously not only during the unification process but also after unification is achieved.

Prof. Hong Kyu-deok explained the “Roles of Australia while the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula is being prepared.” According to Prof. Hong, maximizing public diplomacy ability is important. “It is most desirable for the NUAC Australian Assembly and local Korean community to make active efforts to maximize their public diplomacy ability based on a community spirit,” he added.

Attorney Hong Kyung-il gave his view on the unification of Korea and human rights infringement by the North Korean regime, adding that ceaseless efforts to improve the human rights in North Korea will pave the way for the unification of the Korean Peninsula.