By Kim Hyo-jin
More than 100 journalists from around the world will gather in Seoul next week to discuss ways to promote the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula, an organizer said Wednesday.
The World Journalists Conference will take place from April 12 to 18 with the theme of "peaceful unification in the year marking the 70th anniversary of the division of the Korean Peninsula."
"The need to pursue unification is higher than ever. We organized the conference, expecting it will help build empathy among worldwide journalists on the agenda," said Park Chong-ryul, president of the Journalists Association of Korea, during a press briefing.
He added that the conference will be expanded to discuss how to secure "safety in journalism" in the wake of the fatal shooting attack on the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, which left 12 people dead, including journalists.
"More than 100 journalists lost their lives in the troubled regions, as well as due to unfortunate incidents this year. We need to shed light on the threat and danger journalists face," Park said.
Journalists from 62 countries will join the conference and related events.
Attendees include Jim Boumelha, the president of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the world's largest organization of journalists; reporters from the Singaporean daily The Strait Times; French broadcaster Spring News TV; Russia's Kazakh TV and Moskovsky Komsomolets (MK) Newspaper; and China's People's daily.
After the conference, the journalists will be provided tours to the U.N. Memorial Cemetery in the port city of Busan, the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), and other places of interest.
Conference organizers plan to issue a "world journalists' declaration for peace on the Korean Peninsula" that will contain their wish for the peaceful unification of Korea and freedom of speech, the host said.
The conference will also include speeches by Vice Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul; National Assembly Speaker Chung Ui-hwa; Rep. Na Kyung-won, head of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee; and Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon.
The political figures are expected to share their thoughts on inter-Korean unification with journalists.
More than 100 journalists from around the world will gather in Seoul next week to discuss ways to promote the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula, an organizer said Wednesday.
The World Journalists Conference will take place from April 12 to 18 with the theme of "peaceful unification in the year marking the 70th anniversary of the division of the Korean Peninsula."
"The need to pursue unification is higher than ever. We organized the conference, expecting it will help build empathy among worldwide journalists on the agenda," said Park Chong-ryul, president of the Journalists Association of Korea, during a press briefing.
He added that the conference will be expanded to discuss how to secure "safety in journalism" in the wake of the fatal shooting attack on the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, which left 12 people dead, including journalists.
"More than 100 journalists lost their lives in the troubled regions, as well as due to unfortunate incidents this year. We need to shed light on the threat and danger journalists face," Park said.
Journalists from 62 countries will join the conference and related events.
Attendees include Jim Boumelha, the president of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the world's largest organization of journalists; reporters from the Singaporean daily The Strait Times; French broadcaster Spring News TV; Russia's Kazakh TV and Moskovsky Komsomolets (MK) Newspaper; and China's People's daily.
After the conference, the journalists will be provided tours to the U.N. Memorial Cemetery in the port city of Busan, the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), and other places of interest.
Conference organizers plan to issue a "world journalists' declaration for peace on the Korean Peninsula" that will contain their wish for the peaceful unification of Korea and freedom of speech, the host said.
The conference will also include speeches by Vice Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul; National Assembly Speaker Chung Ui-hwa; Rep. Na Kyung-won, head of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee; and Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon.
The political figures are expected to share their thoughts on inter-Korean unification with journalists.
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