Track-II Conference: Northeast Asia in Strategic Transition

On November 9-11, Executive Director for Research Gary Samore hosted a Track II conference on “Northeast Asia in Strategic Transition” with participants from the U.S., Republic of Korea, and China.

The Korean delegation was headed by Pak In-kook, President of the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies (KFAS), which provided financial support for the event. The Chinese delegation was led by Professor Jia Qingguo, Associate Dean of the School of International Studies of Peking University.

The opening session of the conference featured a panel discussion on responding to the North Korea threat, with presentations by Professor Victor Cha of Georgetown University, Professor Ha Young-sun of the East Asia Institute in Seoul, and Major General (retired) Yao Yunzhu. Following the public session, the conference continued behind closed doors, with topics ranging from U.S.- China relations after the 19th Party Congress to economic and trade issues in Asia to the risk of military conflict on the Korean Peninsula.

American participants included Professor Richard Cooper of Harvard University; Evan Feigenbaum, Vice Chairman of the Paulson Institute at the University of Chicago; John Park, Director of the Belfer Center Korea Working Group; and Belfer Center Senior Fellow William Tobey. Participants from South Korea included Choi Byung-il, President of the Korea Association of Trade and Industry Studies; Professor Kang Myung-koo of Baruch College; Lee Geun-wook of Sogang University; Lee Sook-jong, President of the East Asia Institute; and Oh Seung-youn of Bryn Mawr College. In addition to Professor Jia and General Yao, the Chinese delegation included Professor Zhu Feng of Nanjing University.

“This is the second round of meetings we’ve held with Chinese and Koreans to discuss the vexing issue of North Korea,” said Gary Samore. “None of us have an easy answer, but these meetings allow for candid conversations on how our three governments can improve cooperation against a common threat.”