January 2019
Where do we stand in inter-Korean relations and with North Korea?
On 23 January 2019, the KF-VUB Korea Chair organised a breakfast roundtable and discussion on ‘Where do we stand in inter-Korean relations and with North Korea’. Welcoming remarks given by Prof. Dr. Ramon Pacheco Pardo, KF-VUB Korea Chair at the Institute for European Studies (VUB), were followed by an introduction by Prof. Dr. Moon Chung-in, Special Advisor for Foreign Affairs and National Security to President Moon Jae-in and Distinguished Professor at Yonsei University, on the state of inter-Koreans relations and US-North Korea diplomacy.
Find out more »March 2019
The Hanoi Summit: What Future for the Korean Peninsula?
President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are meeting for a second summit in Hanoi on 27-28 February. The first summit in Singapore did not lead to the announced concrete outcomes. While North Korea has refrained from testing any missiles, there has been little progress on the ‘complete and verifiable destruction’ of the DPRK’s nuclear weapons. North Korea is trying to link any such moves with a lifting of UN sanctions, now often breached by various actors. The EU is not directly involved but has been a strong supporter of the sanctions regime. If there is an agreement, however, it is likely that the EU may be asked to provide technical and economic assistance to the DPRK. To discuss the outcome of the Hanoi summit, the EU-Asia Centre and the KF-VUB Korea Chair invite you to a panel discussion from 17:00-18:30 on Wednesday 6 March at the Brussels Press Club, 95 Rue Froissart, 1000 Brussels.
Find out more »Bridging Disciplines as a Gateway to the Cyber-regulatory Future
The cybersecurity workshop 'Bridging Disciplines as a Gateway to the Cyber-regulatory Future' is on Monday 25 March, from 14:00 to 17:00 at Yonsei University, Seoul. The following speakers will present...
Find out more »June 2019
Invitation only: A Strategy Beyond Sanctions? Evaluating the Role of and Possible Initiatives by the EU in Solving the Nuclear Crisis on the Korean Peninsula
The first session will evaluate the EU’s strategy on North Korea, followed by a session on possible European contributions and initiatives in the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula. This is an invitation only event.
Find out more »Toward a Peace Process on the Korean Peninsula: Feasible Next Steps
After the Hanoi Summit between North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump in February 2019, talks between North Korea and the US have stalled. At the summit, the US side brushed aside the possibility of setting up a roadmap toward denuclearisation and a peace treaty on the Korean Peninsula. Instead, the US Administration put forward a lop-sided deal involving sanctions relief in return for full denuclearisation. While all sides declared their commitment to diplomatic solutions, a return to the negotiation table seems difficult at this stage.
During the panel discussion, key experts from South Korea and Europe will discuss feasible steps that might help to resume a diplomatic rapprochement. They will explore possible, alternative consultation formats – such as working groups of denuclearization and conflict resolution experts – which could be used to negotiate a peace process as well as the underlying risks of such formats. We will also focus which role the EU could play in resolution efforts in the foreseeable future.
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