America’s Real Strategic Interest in East Asia:
Where Does North Korea Fit?
Presented by
Venerable Pomnyun Sunim
Chairman,Good Friends and The Peace Foundation
Lost in the midst of the recent series of missile and nuclear tests and belligerent rhetoric from all sides is the fundamental question of where North Korea fits into America’s long-term, overarching strategic interest in East Asia.
Based on his extensive experience in human rights and humanitarian aid work in North Korea, Venerable Pomnyun Sunim proposes a fresh, alternate interpretation of the North Korean “threat” that may lead to a solution that addresses the strategic equities of key players while ensuring peace and security of those living in the Korean Peninsula.
September 25, 2017 1:30 – 3:30 pm
Rayburn House Office Building Room #2226
45 Independence Ave. SW Washington, DC 20515
About the Speaker
The Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, a respected Buddhist monk and activist, began humanitarian assistance to North Korea immediately after the 1995 flood when the famine situation arose. He has published reports on the ‘North Korean Food Crisis,’ ‘North Korean Refugees Situation’ and ‘Comprehensive Reports on the Human Rights Issues in North Korea.’ He is the chairman of The Peace Foundation in Seoul, which supports policy research and analysis aimed at Korean unification and humanitarian issues in North Korea. He concurrently serves as the chairman of Good Friends for Peace, Human Rights, and Refugee Issues. Venerable Pomnyun is also chairman of the Join Together Society, an international relief agency with offices worldwide, including in North Korea. He has worked extensively to supply humanitarian aid to famine victims in North Korea and defend the human rights of North Korean refugees in China. He is also a Zen master with the Seoul-based JungTo Society, which he originally established in 1988 to facilitate self-improvement through volunteerism.
For questions, contact Ji Kim (goodfriendsusa.jihyun@gmail.com).
