IMAP SESSION

Assessing the Prospects of the Korean Presidential Election

Panelists

Moderator:

Mrs. Rita Payne

President Emeritus, Commonwealth Journalist Association; former Asia Editor, BBC World

Mr. Chad O'Carroll

Chief Executive Officer, Korea Risk Group

Amb. Warwick Morris

Former Ambassador of the UK to the Republic of Korea

Mr. Youngjin Oh

President and Publisher, the Korea Times

Mr. Andrey Shin

Editor-in-Chief of the Russian Information Service "Korean Radio", Chairman of the Council of Korean War Veterans

BACKGROUNDER

The specter of a nuclear nightmare hangs over the divided Korean peninsula. Resolving the division and building sustainable peace isn’t just an option. It is an imperative. There is no rational alternative. The “six parties” – North Korea, South Korea, the United States, Japan, Russia and China – are the key players in any successful peace process, but the entire community of nations has a stake in the outcome. In this context we ask, what are the prospects of Korean unification in the near future? 

More immediately, what will the impact of the upcoming Korean elections on prospects for peace and unification? The panelists will discuss the presidential candidates’ positions and seek to also assess which of the six parties has most influence over any eventual unification process. They will also consider the role of the media as the process plays out.