History

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • HISTORY

“History, nature and diplomacy made Jeju a peace symbol.”

Jeju Island is not only renowned for being one of the UNESCO’s three designated natural heritage sites, but also for having an arena of international conference sites and summit locations. Geopolitically located in the center of Northeast Asia, Jeju is considered as an ideal place for multilateral dialogue to promote sustainable peace and prosperity in Asia. Jeju was also designated as the ‘Island of World Peace’ by the Korean Government in 2005. Since then, Jeju and related organizations, including Jeju Peace Institute, have been committed to building peace on the Korean Peninsula and throughout East Asia. The Jeju Forum is at the core of these peace-building efforts. Ever since the 1991 Summit between South Korean President Roh Tae-Woo and President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev, six additional bilateral or multilateral summits have been successfully held in Jeju.

제주도는 유네스코(UNESCO) 자연유산 3개 부문 지정뿐 아니라 국제회의와 정상회담 개최지입니다. 제주는 동북아 지역의 지정학적 중심에 위치하여 아시아의 지속가능한 평화와 공동번영 촉진을 위한 최적의 다자협력 논의의 장으로 여겨집니다. 한국 정부는 2005년 제주를 ‘세계 평화의 섬’으로 지정했습니다. 이후 제주평화연구원을 비롯한 유관 기관들은 한반도와 동아시아의 평화 구축을 위해 노력해왔습니다. 제주포럼은 이러한 평화 사업의 핵심이라 할 수 있습니다. 1991년 노태우 대통령과 미하일 고르바초프 대통령 간의 한·소 정상회의 이래 양자 혹은 다자간 정상회의가 6차례 제주에서 개최되었습니다.

MILESTONE

2022

Beyond Conflict, Towards Peace: Coexistence and Cooperation

  • Date: September 14-16, 2022
  • Venue: International Convention Center Jeju
  • Host: Jeju Special Self-Governing Province | International Peace Foundation | East Asia Foundation Organizer: Jeju Peace Institute

Today, the world is mired in multiple conflicts and crises, from the Russo-Ukrainian war to the US-China rivalry, COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. It is incumbent on us to overcome these problems and move towards peace. Proposing coexistence and cooperation as its core agenda, the 2022 Jeju Forum seeks to chart a roadmap to peace beyond conflict and serve as a platform for public discussion

2021

Sustainable Peace, Inclusive Prosperity

  • Date: June 24-26, 2021
  • Venue: Haevichi Hotel & Resort Jeju
  • Host: Jeju Special Self-Governing Province | International Peace Foundation | East Asia Foundation
  • Organizer: Jeju Peace Institute

Even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Jeju Forum has managed to carry on the tradition of opening up the forum to the public and participants across borders, leading the discourse on sustainable peace and prosperity. In particular, this year’s forum celebrated the 30th anniversary of the South Korea–Soviet Union summit on Jeju in 1991, which gave birth to the idea of designating Jeju as an “Island of World Peace” and revisited what the end of the Cold War has implied for peace in northeast Asia.

2020

Reinventing Multilateral Cooperation: Pandemic and Humane Security

  • Date: November 5-7, 2020
  • Venue: Lotte Hotle Jeju, Online Streaming
  • Host: Jeju Special Self-Governing Province | International Peace Foundation | East Asia Foundation
  • Organizer: Jeju Peace Institute

The global society is going through a huge change due to a pandemic. The Jeju Forum 2020 was venue for us to reinvent 'multilateral cooperation,' and to find fundamental causes and solutions to the humanity's crisis as we discussed new perspectives toward the nature. Due to the COVID-19, This Forum took the form of a 'hybrid' conference where both on-spot and video sessions were conducted simultaneously. 2020-12-15

2019

Asia Towards Resilient Peace: Cooperation and Integration

  • Asia Towards Resilient Peace: Cooperation and Integration
  • Date: May 29-31, 2019
  • Venue: International Convention Center Jeju
  • Host: Jeju Special Self-Governing Province | International Peace Foundation | East Asia Foundation | JoongAng Ilbo
  • Organizer: Jeju Peace Institute

Recently, East Asia has experienced drastic changes in various areas, including in the spheres of security, economics and trade, and the overall regional political order. At this juncture, we need to discuss ways to establish a permanent peace mechanism to settle disputes in the region through peaceful means. Therefore, the Jeju Forum 2019 advanced the concept of resilient peace for discussions in its upcoming sessions. Resilient peace is an end-product of the mechanism. Once the mechanism starts to effectively operate, a regional resilient peace will be established.

2018

Reengineering Peace for Asia

  • Date: June 26-28, 2018
  • Venue: International Convention Center Jeju
  • Host: Jeju Special Self-Governing Province | International Peace Foundation | East Asia Foundation | JoongAng Ilbo
  • Organizer: Jeju Peace Institute

Over the years, however, Asia has been facing an increasing array of security problems like territorial disputes and arms race and non-traditional security challenges such as cyber security and the absence of an encompassing regional institution to maintaining peace and stability. It is thus high time to re-engineer peace for Asia as neither the usual mode of dealing with eace nor simply playing with concepts are deemed any longer workable. Peace and prosperity should be the priority for the region and alternatives must be actively sought after.

2017

Sharing a Common Vision for Asia’s Future

  • DATE : May 31-June 2, 2017
  • VENUE : International Convention Center Jeju
  • HOST : Jeju Special Self-Governing Province | International Peace Foundation | East Asia Foundation | JoongAng Ilbo
  • ORGANIZER : Jeju Peace Institute

Today, humanity is facing supra-national issues such as low growth, climate change, cyber security amid a new political-economic order symbolized by the recent de-globalization trend. An agenda for a "cooperative Asia" was presented at the forum and discussed to provide ways for a better future with regard to the universal wishes.

2016

Asia’s New Order and Cooperative Leadership

  • DATE : May 25-27, 2016
  • VENUE : International Convention Center Jeju
  • HOST : Jeju Special Self-Governing Province | International Peace Foundation | East Asia Foundation | JoongAng Ilbo
  • ORGANIZER : Jeju Peace Institute

Asia’s political and economic situation is in transition, fraught with a mix of old and new problems. As witnessing a daunting array of challenges, we are also seeing rays of hope in the cooperation between Korea, China, and Japan. The 11th forum examines the implications of leadership against this backdrop, covering a range of topics from peaceful cooperation to climate change.

2015

Towards a New Asia of Trust and Harmony

  • DATE : May 20-22, 2015
  • VENUE : Haevichi Hotel & Resort Jeju
  • HOST : Jeju Special Self-Governing Province | International Peace Foundation | East Asia Foundation | JoongAng Ilbo
  • ORGANIZER : Jeju Peace Institute

The 10th forum focused on building a more solid mechanism for a multilateral cooperation in Asia. The year 2015 marked the 70th anniversary of key historical events including the end of World War II, the founding of the United Nations, and the liberation of Korea from Japanese colonial rule. One of the highlights of the forum was the review of progress made towards maintaining a peaceful coexistence within the region.

2014

Designing New Asia

  • DATE : May 28-30, 2014
  • VENUE : Haevichi Hotel & Resort Jeju
  • HOST : Jeju Special Self-Governing Province | International Peace Foundation | East Asia Foundation | JoongAng Ilbo
  • ORGANIZER : Jeju Peace Institute

The 9th forum dealt with international cooperation and security, business and economy, culture, gender, the environment, sustainability, and community development. The former and incumbent leaders of the Asia-Pacific region shared their perspectives on these issues. More than 60 sessions were held for participants to discuss solutions to unravel the paradoxes within the region in search of ‘New Asia.’

2013

New Waves in Asia

  • DATE : May 29-31, 2013
  • VENUE : Haevichi Hotel & Resort Jeju
  • HOST : Jeju Special Self-Governing Province | International Peace Foundation | East Asia Foundation | JoongAng Ilbo
  • ORGANIZER : Jeju Peace Institute

The year 2013 was a transitional point for the international community as the United States, Japan, China, Russia, North Korea, and South Korea all underwent changes of the administrations. The adoption of major policy changes by the new governments was anticipated and the new role and paradigm of the Asia-Pacific region, where tensions remained high due to territorial disputes and the nuclear weapons of North Korea, were discussed during the 8th forum.

2012

New Trends and the Future of Asia

  • DATE : May 31 - June 2, 2012
  • VENUE : Haevichi Hotel & Resort Jeju
  • HOST : Jeju Special Self-Governing Province | International Peace Foundation | East Asia Foundation | JoongAng Ilbo
  • ORGANIZER : Jeju Peace Institute

The main topic of the 7th forum was to discuss the future and the role of Asia amid the rapid changes of society. The forum also covered other such topics as measures to facilitate and widen regional cooperation, economic cooperation and free trade, cultural exchange, mutual understanding, and human interchange.

2011

New Asia for Peace and Prosperity

  • DATE : May 27-29, 2011
  • VENUE : Haevichi Hotel & Resort Jeju
  • HOST : Jeju Special Self-Governing Province | International Peace Foundation | East Asia Foundation
  • ORGANIZER : Jeju Peace Institute

The 6th forum focused on the key issues of the Northeast Asian region including China’s rising power and its implications on Asian economy and financial markets. Discussion regarding regional security agendas, such as nuclear security and maritime security, were held along with the issues concerning the Korean Peninsula and reunification.

2009

Shaping New Regional Governance in East Asia: A Common Vision for
Mutual Benefit and Common Prosperity

  • DATE : August 11-13, 2009
  • VENUE : Haevichi Hotel & Resort Jeju
  • HOST : Jeju Special Self-Governing Province | International Peace Foundation | East Asia Foundation
  • ORGANIZER : Jeju Peace Institute

Based on the cumulative content from previous forums, wider issues such as history disputes, economic crises, and regional cooperation were discussed at the 5th forum. Non-traditional security issues, such as economic security and human security, were also discussed together with the traditional security agendas such as nuclear weapons of North Korea.

2007

Peace & Prosperity in Northeast Asia: Exploring the European Experienc

  • DATE : June 21-23, 2007
  • VENUE : Haevichi Hotel & Resort Jeju
  • HOST : Jeju Special Self-Governing Province | International Peace Foundation | East Asia Foundation
  • ORGANIZER : Jeju Peace Institute

The Jeju Peace Institute has the Jeju Forum since the 4th forum. Political, security, and organized economic experiences of Europe that were applicable to the context of Northeast Asia, such as the reunification of Germany and the European integration, were examined. An institutional framework for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia were also discussed.

2005

Building a Northeast Asian Community: Towards Peace and Prosperity

  • DATE : June 9-11, 2005
  • VENUE : Shilla Hotel Jeju
  • HOST : Jeju Self-Governing Province | Yonsei University | Jeju National University | East Asia Foundation
  • ORGANIZER : Jeju Development Institute | Center for International Studies of Yonsei University | Institute of East Asian Studies of Keio University, Japan | Asia-Pacific Institute of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, People’s University, China | Institute of World Economy and International Relations of Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia | Edwin O. Reischauer Center for East Asian Studies of Johns Hopkins University, the United States

The establishment of a multilateral security institution through the Six-Party Talks was the main topic of the second forum, together with various views and practical measures addressing the topic of regional security cooperation. Other discussion points included the North Korean nuclear problem, inter-Korean relations, and the role of South Korea in promoting peace and prosperity in the region.

2003

Building a Northeast Asian Community: Challenges and New Visions

  • DATE : October 30 - November 1, 2003
  • VENUE : International Convention Center Jeju
  • HOST : Jeju Special Self-Governing Province
  • ORGANIZER : Jeju Development Institute | Yonsei University

The establishment of a multilateral security institution through the Six-Party Talks was the main topic of the second forum, together with various views and practical measures addressing the topic of regional security cooperation. Other discussion points included the North Korean nuclear problem, inter-Korean relations, and the role of South Korea in promoting peace and prosperity in the region.

2001

Building Common Peace & Prosperity in Northeast Asia

  • DATE : June 15-17, 2001
  • VENUE : Shilla Hotel Jeju
  • HOST : Jeju Special Self-Governing Province
  • ORGANIZER : Jeju Special Self-Governing Province

The first forum coincided with the first anniversary of the South-North Summit on June 15 to address the region’s prospects for peace, stability, and prosperity in the 21st century. Participants emphasized that co-existence and peaceful reunification can only be achieved through South-North reconciliation, exchange, and cooperation based on mutual understanding and tolerance.