'Korean Peninsula Peace and New Pyeongtaek' Conference Held

A conference themed on 'Korean Peninsula Peace and New Pyeongtaek' was held at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul on the 15th.

This conference, the fourth of its kind this year, was held to strengthen cultural harmony between Korea and the United States, establish allied symbolism and emotional foundations, and explore Pyeongtaek City's leap forward as an international city in the Yellow Sea region.

In his keynote address, Wyeth, President of the U.S. Naval War College, emphasized that "in a diversifying world alliance relationship, Korea is the region most sensitive to various changes, and the Korea-U.S. alliance has unprecedented significance."

Professor Victor Cha of Georgetown University, who made a presentation on the topic "Korea-U.S. Alliance in a Changing Strategic Environment," stated that "with the rise of China, the world's most populous nation, there is a need to re-examine the global economic, political, and military order," and emphasized that "attention should be paid to strengthening the Korea-U.S. alliance given the reality of confrontation between South Korea and North Korea."

Following this, spirited discussions were held by panelists including Kim Hyung-jin, Director of the North American Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Lee Sang-hyun, Senior Researcher at the Sejong Institute, and Cho Yoon-seon, National Assembly member of the Grand National Party.

Abraham Denmark, Research Fellow at the Center for a New American Security, shed new light on the topic of "The Future of Korea-U.S. Military Alliance" and presented directions on "Future Challenges and Adaptation of the Korea-U.S. Alliance."

Panelists including Mayor Kim Sun-ki of Pyeongtaek, Kim Sun-ki, President of the Pyeongtaek City Council Song Jong-soo, National Assembly members Won Yu-cheol and Jeong Jang-sung, and Jeon Man-kwon, Deputy Director of the Regional Development Division at the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, presented and listened to diverse and broad opinions on international peace, the crisis on the Korean Peninsula, and the gradual development directions and plans for New Pyeongtaek.

Mayor Kim Sun-ki of Pyeongtaek, who attended the event, emphasized that "the U.S. forces in Korea and the U.S. military bases are important elements of the Korea-U.S. alliance for the security of the Korean Peninsula as well as the stability of the East Asian region."

He continued, "When Pyeongtaek was designated six years ago as the relocation site for the expanded U.S. military base, there was confusion at that time due to government policies for national security and regional community conflicts," and said that "attention is needed so that Pyeongtaek becomes not just a U.S. military garrison, but a symbolic axis of the Korea-U.S. alliance that can guarantee stability and peace not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in Northeast Asia."

Meanwhile, following this conference at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul on the 15th, a Pyeongtaek Development Grand Forum will be held at Pyeongtaek University on the 16th, where discussions will take place on the role of Pyeongtaek as the center of the Yellow Sea region economic sphere.