Close cooperation with the neighbouring states China and Japan is an important precondition for peaceful development on the Korean Peninsula. On May 26, 2010, in the Japanese Parliament a workshop of Korean and Japanese politicians took place, with the aim of fostering cooperation in Northeast Asia, co-sponsored by the Institute for Peace Affairs (IPA) and Hanns-Seidel-Foundation Korea. Besides actual developments in North Korea also the rise of China and energy cooperation in Northeast Asia were discussed. From both Korea and Japan experienced politicians took part in the deliberations, from Korea the president of IPA, Kyung-Dae Hyun, Woo-Yeo Hwang, Member of Parliament, the president of the Institute for National Security Strategy, Song-Wook Nam, and the South Korean ambassador for security issues, Joo-Hong Nam. At the Japanese side, former defense minister Koike Yuriko took part, whose office co-organized the workshop, Masahisa Sato (MP and former high-ranking military officer) and former defense minister Gen Nakatani. Dr. Bernhard Seliger, representative of Hanns-Seidel-Foundation, at the workshop presented a plan for Northeast Asian energy cooperation.

Participants of the 2010 Japan-Korea International Forum

Dr. Bernhard Seliger, representative of Hanns-Seidel-Foundation Korea, talks about Northeast Asian energy cooperation