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Experts Discuss Korean Reunification
Written by Marcia de Abreu, president, WFWP-Spain
Thursday, September 17, 2020
Madrid, Spain—Three experts on the Korean Peninsula were the speakers at an online discussion on the reunification of the Koreas.
Forty participants attended the meeting on September 17, 2020, which was held jointly by UPF and its affiliated organization Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP).
The title of the event was “Relations between North and South Korea: Proposals to Advance the Process of a Peaceful Reunification.”
Seventy years have passed since the Korean War broke out in June 1950—five years after the Korean Peninsula was divided by the world powers of the Soviet Union and the United States along the 38th Parallel.
Although the presidents of North and South Korea signed a joint treaty in the year 2000, giving hope for peaceful reunification, there is still much tension on the peninsula.
Many discussions, conferences, roundtables, and projects have taken place with the intent to develop a vision for peace on the Korean Peninsula, which could be a precursor to solving many other conflicts in the world.
For the September 17 roundtable, UPF and WFWP invited speakers whose ideas and proposals, given their passion for the topic and years of dedicated study, will contribute to better understanding of a possible reconciliation between the Koreas:
Professor Josep Manuel Brañas, an author and a researcher for the Center of Studies on Korea, Madrid;
Professor Mario Esteban, a professor at the Center of Studies of Oriental Asia of the Autonomous University of Madrid;
Santiago Castillo, a journalist, author, and professor of International Relations at the International Studies Society in Madrid.
Marcia de Abreu, the president of WFWP-Spain, was the moderator of the online discussion.
Armando Lozano, the director of UPF-Spain, explained about the work of UPF founders Rev. and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon for the reunification of the Koreas. Mr. Lozano mentioned that North Korea’s response to the founders’ efforts has always been one of respect and consideration.
The three guest speakers concurred that this is a time in which civil society’s efforts are very important, not only political and economic initiatives. They insisted that trust must be developed and that we should look for smaller steps rather than a final, comprehensive treaty. All sectors of society need to be engaged to help North Korea open up and progress. They also emphasized that the South Korean people are tired and want to move on and think about other issues.
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