■ Northeast Asian Women’s Peace Conference is

A women’s peace-building initiative to prevent and resolve conflicts on the Korean Peninsula and in the Northeast Asia while promoting women’s participation in peace processes.

■ Activities

?  Search for Common Ground: The Conference invites women representatives from the Six-Party Talks countries to seek a common ground to build peace on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia based on mutual understanding and trust.

?  Delivery of Policy Recommendations: It produces policy recommendations, to concerned governments, on issues regarding the DPRK’s nuclear program, the peace process on the Korean Peninsula, and peace-building in Northeast Asia.

?  Track II diplomacy and Track I and Track II cooperation: It promotes women’s Track II activities and seeks ways to cooperate with Track I diplomacy for reducing tensions and building peace in Northeast Asia. 

?  Implementation of UNSCR 1325: It is a process to implement the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) and UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security (2000), which recognize important roles of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peace-building and stress the importance of their equal and full participation and full involvement in peace and security.

■ History

?  In 2007: A group of “South Korean Women’s Peace Delegation”, comprised of women leaders and lawmakers, visited the Six Party Talks countries, such as China, Japan, the US and Russia. They also had meetings with North Korean women. The delegation articulated the importance of gender empowerment in fostering reconciliation, cooperation, and peace in Korea and Northeast Asia and suggested the establishment of the Women’s Six Party Talks.  

?  In 2008: The Organizing Committee of “the Northeast Asia Women’s Peace Conference” was launched and later on the first Northeast Asia Women’s Peace Conference was held in Seoul, South Korea. The participants made a visit to Gaesung in North Korea.

?  In 2009: The 2009 Northeast Asia Women’s Peace Conference, entitled “Negotiating Regional Peace, Reconciliation and Cooperation” was held with the partnership of the Sigur Center for Asian Studies at The George Washington University in Washington, DC.  Former Prime Minister Myung-Sook Han of the Republic of Korea and US Ambassador at large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne S. Verveer delivered speeches at the conference. Women representatives visited the US Congress and also had a meeting with US special envoy for the Six-Party Talks Sung Kim from the Department of State as part of their Track II diplomacy activity.

?  In 2010: The 3rd Conference was held in Seoul, South Korea, focusing on reducing military tensions and fostering peace among the six countries after the Cheonan Incident. Representatives from Russia, China, Japan, the US, South Korea and Northern Ireland made a policy recommendation that the respective governments resume the Six Patty Talks immediately and establish a Women’s Council for Six Party Talks.

■ Contact information

?  Ms. Gyung-Lan Jung (Email: peacejung@gmail.com, Tel: 82-2-929-4846, Fax: 82-2-929-4843)
Coordinator of The Organizing Committee of the Northeast Asian Women’s Peace Conference