Mason Korea’s Center for Security Policy Studies-Korea (CSPS-Korea) held its 2022 CSPS-Korea Annual Symposium titled “Prospects for Peace on the Korean Peninsula in Northeast Asia’s Changing Security Landscape” at the Incheon Global Campus Small Theater in May.
The symposium was held in partnership with the Schar School’s Center for Security Policy Studies (CSPS) in the US and the UniKorea Foundation. The event also brought together undergraduate students at Mason’s Korea campus and a select group of graduate students studying regional security at Mason’s US campus.
“Our presence here in Korea creates great opportunities for George Mason students both in the US and Korea to pursue their academic and professional interests in careers in international affairs,” said Mason Korea Campus Dean Robert Matz.
The symposium was held just days after the Biden-Yoon summit and featured expert panelists from Korea and the US, including Mr. Christopher Del Corso (Chargé d’Affaires of the US Mission to the ROK), Professor Ellen Laipson (Director of CSPS), Dr. Intaek Han (President of Jeju Peace Institute), Dr. Daniel Pinkston (Lecturer in International Relations at Troy University), Dr. Sanghyun Lee (President of Sejong Institute), Mr. Robert M. Collins (Senior Advisor at the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea), and more.
“It is very meaningful that U.S. President Joe Biden chose Korea as the first stop for his first Asia tour since his inauguration,” said Mr. Chris Del Corso, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires ad interim. “The recent ROK-U.S. summit was an overwhelming success reaffirming the strong and enduring ROK-U.S. alliance, which has endured nearly 70 years, and this year marks 140 years of diplomatic ties. Security is closely linked to the economy and South Korea is an important partner in terms of cooperation in technology, innovation, digital economy, bio-economy, AI, eco-friendly energy, and agriculture,” he added.
The symposium was divided into three panel discussion sessions addressing timely issues pertaining to peace, security, and Korean unification from the U.S. and Korea perspectives, while providing insights on prospects and challenges set for the security landscape in Northeast Asia through the U.S.-Korea dialogue.
“It is an exciting time to examine the full range of issues in the US-Korean bilateral relationship, and to consider the changing security dynamics in Northeast Asia,” said Professor Ellen Laipson, Director of CSPS. “The Biden-Yoon summit provides an excellent framework for our discussion, bringing scholars and practitioners together to assess this important moment for regional security,” she added.
For more photos, click here.
May 25, 2022
