KOREA FOUNDATION

2019 Korea-Japan 100 Citizens' Future Talk

From November 22–24, the 2019 Korea Japan 100 Citizens’ Future Talk was held at the Korea International Exhibition Center (KINTEX) and the Sono Calm Goyang Hotel. The event was jointly organized by the KF, Seoul National University’s Institute for Japanese Studies, and Waseda University’s Institute for Korean Studies.

Under the theme of “Korea-Japan Citizens Envisage New Forms of Cooperation,” the talk proceeded in four sessions focused on citizen solidarity for peace, youth education, life security and the environment, and socio-cultural cooperation. In attendance were 50 Korean and 50 Japanese participants, including ordinary citizens and guests from academic circles and non-governmental organizations.

During the three-day, two-night event, attendees shared lively discussion as they freely exchanged views about national and social issues common to their two countries such as gender problems, urban regeneration, grassroots movements and exchange, and the labor market. Afterwards, they drafted the Korea-Japan 100 Citizens’ One- Line Messages for Hope, envisaging a hopeful future for bilateral relations.

Since the talk was a citizen-oriented consultation forum unlike other established channels of dialogue between experts of the two countries, organizers hope that it will take root as a platform providing voluntary solutions and cooperation between civil societies on common issues faced by these two neighbors.

Korea Japan Citizen Talk