South and North Korea

Project activity:

Since 1987

Project location:

Seoul

Project manager:

Dr. Bernhard Seliger

Project goals:

• Promoting the unification discussion with state and civil society institutions, taking into account the experiences of defectors and in North Korea, specifically through the initiation of pilot projects aimed at the transformation of the country.
• Promoting the sustainable development in the inner-Korean border region.
• Promoting the political participation of women, especially in the unification discussion, involving North Korean defectors.

Target groups:

• The regional and district administration in the border region (Goseong county; Gangwon-province, additional partners such as Gyeonggi-province), as well as the concerned regional development planning institutions
• Academics
• Politicians in governments and parliaments of various levels
• Women from all classes of society
• Citizen’s engagements that are concerned with the inner-Korean reconciliation and the environment
• State and parastatal institutions
• North Korean defector organizations
• Nord Korean state and parastatal institutions as well as agricultural enterprises

Short project description:
Tensions are undiminished in the area of reconciliation on the Korean peninsula, which makes Northeast Asia into one of the most important hot spots in the world. Thus, the Hanns-Seidel-Foundation supports the process of reconciliation on the Korean peninsula as well as the preparation of a peaceful unification in South Korea. In this regard the knowledge transfer of the German experiences of division and unification in the political, economical and social areas as well as the cooperation with NGOs, academic partners (research institutions and universities), political partners and ministries plays a central role. The possible reunification is also the central topic in the project area of regional development, in which the border region (DMZ) is especially focused upon. In North Korea, too, the Hanns-Seidel-Foundation attempts to contribute to the peaceful development in the region through activities in the training sector for economic promotion. The increasing number of North Korean defectors plays a pivotal role in South Korea. In all these areas, our special attention is on the particular promotion of the interests and the strengthening of women’s position in society.

Project partners:

• Institute for Peace Affaires (IPA), Institute for Unification of Seoul National University
• Landkreis Goseong und Provinz Gangwon-Do
• Center for Korean Women and Politics (CKWP) as main partner in South Korea
• General Bureau for Cooperation with International Organizations (GBCIO) in North Korea