Korean Peninsula

Peace Talk at Hanyang University

The Peace Talk event on April 30, organized by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Korea office (FNF Korea) in collaboration with Hanyang University and Parti, aimed to foster respectful dialogue and promote peaceful conversations among students with differing views. The event featured 10 pre-set questions centered on peace, unification, and security on the Korean Peninsula, which 45 students had answered in advance through a survey. Based on these responses, the participants were paired with others who held opposing views to encourage a diverse exchange of thoughts. Conversations were structured to give each participant equal speaking time, avoiding one-sided monologues. The aim was not to “win” a debate, but to engage in empathetic, open dialogue. Following the opening remarks by Frederic Spohr, head of the FNF Korea office, students proceeded to separate rooms for the 1:1 thought exchange.

After the 1:1 discussions, students reconvened in the main classroom to share their reflections. A follow-up survey revealed that the event successfully exposed participants to a range of perspectives. Even among those whose core beliefs remained unchanged, emotional empathy increased significantly. Overall satisfaction with the Peace Talk was particularly high, and a large majority expressed the need for more spaces that allow such exchanges.

The event concluded with open-ended reflections, and suggestions of individual students for future Peace Talks. Among the responses, one student expressed what many participants also felt, describing the event as “a very valuable experience” after hearing completely different opinions from other groups. In contrast, another participant emphasized the dynamic nature of the discussions, noting how clashing perspectives across 4-5 major topics made the conversation “really interesting and fun.”

Final remarks from Professor Yong Pyo Hong and a group photo with FNF and all participants marked the close of the event.

*Zeynep Gezen is majoring in Integrated Korean Studies at Freie Universität Berlin in Germany. Since April 2025, she has been completing her mandatory internship at the Korea Office of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in Seoul, which will continue until July 2025.