PUAC Holds the Asia-Pacific Region Expanded Executive Committee Meeting for the First Quarter of 2025

Discusses major business and operation plans in the Asia-Pacific region in 2025

<Group photo of the Expanded Asia·Pacific Executive Committee for First Quarter>

The PUAC Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly (Vice-Chairperson Ko Sang-gu) held the 「Expanded Executive Committee Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Assembly for the First Quarter of 2025」 in the conference room of Grand Center Point Terminal 21 in Bangkok, Thailand at 9:30 on March 8, 2025. The expanded executive committee meeting brought together 30 people, including the vice- chairperson of the assembly and the heads of chapters, as well as the branch heads, secretaries and chairpersons of the standing committees of the Asia-Pacific Assembly. The meeting proceeded in the order of △ opening ceremony, △opening speech by Ko Sang-gu, vice-chairperson of the Asia-Pacific Assembly, △ Remarks by Deputy Secretary General Dong Seung-chul, △ Report on the business of the Secretariat, △ Discussions about major business plans of the Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly and local chapters in 2025, △ Discussions about pending issues related to the activities of the Asia-Pacific region, and △ commemorative photo taking.

<Opening address by Vice- chairperson Ko Sang-gu>

Asia-Pacific Vice-chairperson Ko Sang-gu said, "The international situation is unstable due to the intensifying competition for hegemony between the U.S. and China and North Korea's dispatch of troops to the Russia-Ukraine war. But PUAC council members in the Asia-Pacific region should not be shaken and lead the work for peaceful unification."

"We need to let the international community understand that peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula will lead to world peace and cooperate with Korean communities overseas to spread consensus on unification.” “In order to respond to the rapidly changing international situation, we need to strengthen our capabilities to collect public opinion from each country and provide practical consultation and advice," Ko said.

<Remarks by Deputy Secretary General Dong Seung-chul>

Deputy Secretary General Dong Seoung-chul said, "PUAC council members should work for unification based on the liberal democratic basic order in accordance with Article 4 of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea." "PUAC council members should play an active role in collecting public opinion on unification, drawing national consensus, and gathering national will and capabilities for unification," Dong said.

<Business report by the Secretariat >

The Secretariat made a business report that included the business conditions and key tasks in 2025, major business plan, and requests for cooperation.

<Discussion of major agenda items>

Participants discussed major businesses of the regional assemblies and chapters in 2025. Regional assemblies will undertake and promote △ quarterly regional assembly executive committee meeting and support for the local chapters, while the chapters will undertake △ Youth Unification UCC Contest (Southwest Asia), △ Peaceful Unification Love Country Writing Contest (Southern Southeast Asia), △ Asia-Pacific Region Unification Public Diplomacy Lecture (Northern Southeast Asia), △ Western Southeast Asian Chapter Integrated Junior Conference (Western Southeast Asia), △ Launching Ceremony of the Junior PUAC (Vietnam), △ Unification Music Event with North Korean defectors (Australia) and △ Next-generation Peace and Public Diplomacy Essay Contest (New Zealand).

<Photo commemorating International Women's Day (March 8)>

After the meeting, the PUAC thanked the women chapter heads and secretaries for their work on the occasion of the March 8 "World Women's Day." The meeting was concluded with a commemorative photo taking.

<Group photograph of Korean War veterans laying a wreath>

After the meeting, the participants of the expanded executive committee meeting visited the Korean War Veterans Memorial Hall with Consul General Kim Nam-hyuk. They laid a wreath and held a meeting with Korean War Veterans to have a time to express their gratitude to the Thai veterans. 

The Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly and local chapters will strive to expand the foundation for international support for unification by promoting public diplomatic activities for peaceful unification suitable for the Asia-Pacific region.