Seoul's next-gen diplomacy
As world leaders grapple with an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape, a quiet revolution is unfolding in the corridors of diplomacy. Youth summits, once dismissed as feel-good photo ops, are now emerging as vital forums for international dialogue.
From the inaugural ASEAN-Korea Youth Summit in 2020 to this July's U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Global Leadership Forum in Busan, I've represented South Korean youth on the global stage multiple times. These experiences have granted me insights into the power and limitations of young voices in the diplomatic arena.
Youth summits serve as a gateway for young leaders and scholars to experience the intricacies of international relations and connect with like-minded global peers. These events, typically orchestrated by government ministries, municipalities or local embassies, follow a familiar format: they open with remarks from high-ranking officials, progress through model U.N.-style conferences and cultural exchanges and conclude with a presentation of resolutions.
The conclusion often features a special commendation or recognition for delegates, designed to create lasting memories. At the recent trilateral youth summit between the United States, South Korea and Japan, participants were surprised by a personal letter from U.S. President Joe Biden.
These events, while exhilarating for participants, serve as microcosms of broader foreign policy directions. The trilateral youth summit, for instance, was a direct outcome of commitments made at the Camp David Summit last August, where leaders from the three nations convened. It reflects South Korea's efforts to strengthen ties with key regional partners in the Indo-Pacific.
Similarly, the ASEAN-Korea summit, initiated in 2020, was a tangible result of the Moon Jae-in administration's New Southern Policy, which aimed to diversify Korea's diplomatic and economic relationships with Southeast Asian nations. In this way, youth summits also became practical manifestations of shifting geopolitical priorities and strategies.
Given this political underpinning, however, youth summits face a significant challenge: their transient nature. As administrations change, particularly in South Korea, so do diplomatic priorities. These summits can often lack continuity, their existence and impact fading as swiftly as the participants' jet lag dissipates.
Without generating substantive resolutions or outcomes, these events risk becoming symbolic gestures rather than catalysts for change. The real challenge lies in transforming the enthusiasm and goodwill fostered at these summits into tangible, enduring diplomatic results.
That's not to say these summits are without merit. At their core, they foster people-to-people connections that can form the bedrock of future diplomatic relations. In an era of increasing polarization, both domestically and internationally, these gatherings provide a rare opportunity to break out of echo chambers and engage with diverse perspectives.
This aspect of youth diplomacy is particularly crucial in relationships marked by tension, such as the current South Korea-China dynamic or the Korea-Japan relations in 2019. By bringing young people together in a non-confrontational setting, these summits nurture habits of cooperation among future leaders and help them build trust.
Furthermore, these events provide participants with valuable insights into the complexities of international relations and diplomacy. The process of exchanging views and negotiating policy resolutions helps delegates understand not only their own country's stance but also the rationale behind other nations' positions — perspectives often overlooked in media narratives.
Interestingly, some of the most enlightening discussions occur not between delegates from different countries, but among participants representing the same nation. These internal debates to create a united stance, involving individuals with vastly different experiences, expertise and political ideologies, teach the art of compromise and cooperation — skills critically important in navigating today's polarized political landscape.
As South Korea continues to refine its global role, youth diplomacy should be viewed as a versatile tool in a broader diplomatic arsenal.
Rather than using these gatherings solely to reinforce existing partnerships and friendships, policymakers should leverage them to thaw frozen diplomatic relations. For instance, reviving the bilateral youth exchange program with China, dormant since 2018, could provide a breakthrough in current tensions. Historical precedents, such as the ping-pong diplomacy that helped warm Sino-American relations, demonstrate the often-underestimated influence of soft-power diplomacy.
However, to create a lasting impact, youth summits must be complemented by sustained engagement and concrete policy actions. Providing continuity to successful programs, granting youth public platforms to present their discussions and ensuring that summit resolutions reach actual policymakers would signal that these young participants are valued contributors, not mere pawns in a larger political game.
By investing in youth diplomacy today, we're not just preparing the next generation of global leaders — we're actively shaping a more collaborative and understanding international community for the future. The question now is not whether young people have a place in diplomacy, but how we can most effectively amplify their voices and translate their enthusiasm into tangible diplomatic outcomes.
Park Jin-wan is a Schwarzman Scholar at Tsinghua University, China, and a nonresident James A. Kelly Korea Fellow at the Pacific Forum.