the week ahead in DPRK North Korea

Two Koreas will discuss Family Reunions

• Representatives from North and South Korea will meet on September 7 to discuss hosting reunions for separated families during the Chuseok holiday, which falls on September 27 this year.
• There have been 19 meetings of separated families thus far. The most recent was in 2014 when roughly 2,200 South Koreans were able to meet with their relatives in the North.

2015 Beautiful Dream Concert

• Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights will host a benefit concert in Seoul on September 8.
• Proceeds from the concert will be used to support North Korean youth who have resettled in the South. These youths face unique difficulties adjusting to the highly competitive in South Korea, but NKHR hope to enable them to fulfill their aspirations and perhaps even become future leaders of peaceful unification.
• Tickets are 20,000 won.
• Program details can be found here.

The Future of U.S.-South Korea Relations

• The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Korean-American Association will host this discussion in Washington D.C. on September 9.
• Panelists will discuss the future of U.S.-ROK relations in the lead up to Park Geun-hye and Obama’s summit in Washington D.C. on October 16. Some key topical areas that are likely to be raised include North Korea, regional security, and TPP.
• Panelists include; Han Sung-joo, former ROK ambassador to the United States; Hyun Hong-choo, former ROK ambassador to the United States and the UN; Choi Young-jin, former ROK ambassador to the United States; Evans Revere, former acting assistant secretary of state for East Asia and Pacific Affairs and principal deputy secretary at the State Department; and Douglass Paal, vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
• For more information and to RSVP click here.

Seoul Defense Dialog

• South Korea will host the annual Seoul Defense Dialog in Seoul from September 9 to 11.
• Vice defense ministers from 33 countries will participate in this years meetings. However, North Korea has not sent a representative despite Seoul issuing a formal invitation for the first time this year.
• Panel topics at the conference include; global health and security, defense cooperation for responding to violent extremism and nuclear non-proliferation, maritime issues and cyber protection.
• The official schedule and speaker list can be found here.

Writing North Korean Social History

• The Centre of Korean Studies at SOAS will host this workshop in London on September 11.
• They hope to draw attention to social histories of North Korea, drawing up on recent scholarship.
• Speakers include; Suzy Kim, Columbia University; Cheehyung Harrision Kim, University of Missouri; Andre Schmid, University of Toronto; Carl Young, University of West Ontario; Adam Cathcart, University of Leeds; and Owen Miller, SOAS.
• Cost of attendance for students is 10 pounds and 15 pounds for others. SOAS students and BAKS members have free admission.
• For more information click here.