Kim Dae-jung Peace Conference concludes with call for coexistence, dialogue

Scholars speak during a discussion session at the 2025 Kim Dae-jung Peace Conference at Hotel Hyundai by Lahan in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, Sept. 25. Courtesy of South Jeolla Provincial Government

South Jeolla Provincial Government said the 2025 Kim Dae-jung Peace Conference concluded after a three-day program held in Yeongam and Mokpo, bringing together about 4,000 participants under the theme of a "New Vision of Coexistence and Peace for the World and the Korean Peninsula.”

Beginning Sept. 24, the three-day conference held in honor of former President Kim Dae-jung focused on exploring solutions for coexistence and peace amid growing global tensions, drawing from Kim’s lifelong advocacy of reconciliation and cooperation with North Korea.

A total of 25 scholars from around the world participated as speakers, including 2024 Nobel laureate in economics James Robinson, KAIST professor Kim Jeong-ho, Princeton University professor John Ikenberry and Zhang Yunling, director of the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The speakers discussed intensifying global rivalries in economics, science and technology, and security, emphasizing that Kim Dae-jung’s philosophy of peace and inclusivity offers valuable insights for addressing today’s geopolitical challenges.

In his keynote speech, Robinson highlighted the connection between democratization and rising per capita income following Kim’s presidency, saying that “Korea’s economic miracle took place under a democratic foundation strengthened during Kim’s administration,” while stressing the importance of inclusive political and economic institutions.

In a special lecture, Kim, the KAIST professor, discussed the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the global power balance, noting that “AI could disrupt the current military-centered world order” and emphasizing the need to retain human values such as empathy and forgiveness in the age of technological dominance.

During the closing ceremony on Sept. 26, the conference presented the Kim Dae-jung Academic Awards to two scholars. The academic prize went to Noh Myung-hwan, professor emeritus at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, for his 2024 book “The Life, Thought, and Policies of Kim Dae-jung in the Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.” The paper award was given to Lee Da-young, a doctoral candidate at Sungkyunkwan University, for her study “Cultural Democracy and the Politics of Connection in the Kim Dae-jung Administration.”

“South Jeolla Provincial Government will continuously promote initiatives to commemorate Kim Dae-jung’s legacy, including the creation of the ‘Forest of Peace on the Korean Peninsula' on his home island of Haui in Sinan County of the province,” a provincial government official said.