“2026 World Women’s Committee Conference”

- Exploring the Roles and Challenges of Global Women in Advancing Peaceful Coexistence on the Korean Peninsula -

From Wednesday, April 8 to Friday, April 10, the "2026 World Women’s Committee Conference" was held under the auspices of the San Francisco Chapter of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC), chaired by Oh Mi-ja. The three-day, two-night conference brought together more than 100 participants, including Women Committee Members from 26 Municipal Chapters in 12 countries.

 Held under the overarching theme "The Roles and Challenges of Global Women for Peaceful Coexistence on the Korean Peninsula," the conference began on the first day with △ participant introductions and △ breakout discussions to appoint group facilitators and establish discussion agendas. The second day's program featured △ the opening ceremony, △ a keynote address by Jang Young-ran, Vice-chairperson for Women's Affairs, △ an administrative briefing, △ a lecture by Professor Park Ju-hwa of the University of North Korean Studies, △ Breakout Discussions I and II, △ presentations of the discussion outcomes and an overall review, and △ the Korean Peninsula Peace Concert. The conference concluded on the third day with a local study tour.

 In her opening remarks, Oh Mi-ja, Chair of the San Francisco Municipal Chapter, warmly welcomed the Women Committee Members who had gathered from around the world. She expressed her hope that the three-day conference would be more than just a one-time event and would mark the beginning of a shared journey toward building peace together.

Lim Jung-taek, Consul General of the Republic of Korea in San Francisco, noted the historical significance of the San Francisco area in his congratulatory remarks and expressed his hope that the conference would help expand international support and solidarity for peace on the Korean Peninsula through women's leadership grounded in empathy and inclusiveness.

Kim Han-il, President of the SF & Bay Area Korean Association, noted that holding the conference in San Francisco—one of the historic centers of Korea's independence movement—was especially meaningful. He also expressed his hope that the Korean community would continue contributing to the promotion of peace and human rights.

 The conference then featured a keynote address by Jang Young-ran, Vice-chairperson for Women's Affairs of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC). She emphasized that peace on the Korean Peninsula is built through dialogue and mutual trust and outlined a policy direction founded on coexistence and cooperation. She further stated that women's leadership, characterized by empathy, communication, and solidarity, will play a pivotal role in easing conflict and advancing sustainable peace. She also expressed her hope that Women Committee Members would help broaden public support for peace through public diplomacy and community engagement.

The program continued with a briefing by Park Hak-min, Deputy Secretary General of the Secretariat of the PUAC, on the Secretariat's key initiatives for 2026, followed by a special lecture by Professor Park Ju-hwa of the University of North Korean Studies. Speaking on the theme "The Korean Peninsula Peaceful Coexistence Policy and the Value of Inclusion," Professor Park emphasized that recognizing differences and empathizing with others are the starting points of peaceful coexistence, and discussed the mindset needed to achieve peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula.

 Breakout discussions and presentations of the discussion outcomes were held throughout the morning and afternoon. Participants engaged in lively discussions on two themes: (1) the role of women in advancing public diplomacy for peaceful unification, and (2) strategies for Women Committee Members to work with local communities to broaden public support for peace. During the presentation session, each of the eight discussion groups delivered a PowerPoint presentation on the roles of women and the project ideas developed through their discussions.

 On the final day, the conference concluded with site visits to the Korean Community Center of San Francisco and the Comfort Women Memorial.

The conference provided a meaningful opportunity for Women Committee Members from around the world to gather and engage in in-depth discussions on their roles and responsibilities in promoting peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula, while sharing their experiences and insights. In particular, the diverse ideas generated during the breakout discussions are expected to make meaningful contributions to broadening public support for peace in local communities and advancing public diplomacy. Going forward, Women Committee Members of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC) will continue to strengthen cooperation and solidarity in their efforts to advance peaceful coexistence and shared prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.