2026 Global Youth Council Members Conference

"Ten Years Together, Opening the Future of Peace Together"

 

The Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC) held the "2026 Global Youth Council Members Conference" in Shanghai, China's economic hub, over three days from May 14 to 16. The conference brought together 93 Young Council Members from 22 countries to discuss the theme "Peaceful Coexistence on the Korean Peninsula and the Role of Young Council Members."

 

 

Marking its eleventh year, the Global Youth Council Members Conference focused on reviewing the achievements of the past decade while exploring the role of Young Council Members and the direction of their future activities amid a changing international environment. Through breakout discussions, participants explored practical ways for Young Council Members to contribute, based on the Korean Peninsula Peaceful Coexistence Policy and the activity priorities of the 22nd Council.

 

The first day of the conference featured an orientation session and a welcome dinner. On the second day, participants attended △ the opening ceremony, △ a session reviewing the first decade of the Global Youth Council Members Conference and presenting proposals for the future, △ an administrative briefing, △ a policy presentation, △ breakout discussions, and △ visits to historic sites. The three-day conference concluded on the final day with △ presentations of the discussion outcomes, △ an overall review and participant reflections, and △ the announcement of the next conference host city.

 

 

In a prerecorded congratulatory message delivered at the opening ceremony, Kang Chang-il, Executive Vice-chairperson, emphasized that the future of peaceful unification rests with the younger generation. He encouraged Young Council Members of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC) to serve as youth leaders in the era of peaceful coexistence by promoting the value of peace on the Korean Peninsula around the world. He also expressed his appreciation to the Young Council Members for attending the conference despite the challenging international environment.

 

 

In his opening remarks, Ju Kang-min, Chair of the Youth Committee of the China Provincial Assembly, noted, "One hundred years ago, young people established the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea here in Shanghai." He added, "Young Council Members of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC) are the ones planting the seeds of peace and unification for future generations," and expressed his hope that the conference would serve as a turning point for reflecting on the achievements of the past decade and charting the course for the next.

 

In his welcoming remarks, Shin Seung-ryeol, Chair of the Youth Executive Committee, stated that it is time not only to look back on the achievements of the past ten years but also to redefine the role of youth for the decade ahead. He stressed the need to continue fostering youth-led discourse on peaceful coexistence so that young people's activities and proposals can be preserved as a lasting record and passed on to future generations.

 

 

Lee No-hoon, Chair of the Shanghai Municipal Chapter, which hosted the conference, welcomed the participants, stating that the diverse experiences and global networks of the Young Council Members would become valuable assets for advancing peaceful coexistence and shared prosperity on the Korean Peninsula. He also expressed his hope that the gathering would lead to practical solidarity.

 

 

The conference was also attended by Vice-chairperson Seo Man-gyo (China), Vice-chairperson Choi Bun-do (Asia-Pacific), Vice-chairperson Kim Jeom-bae (Europe, Middle East and Africa), and Executive Committee Member Seol Gyu-jong, who met with the Young Council Members to encourage them and exchange views.

 

Vice-chairperson Seo Man-gyo of the China region communicated with the Young Council Members throughout the conference. He remarked, "The past decade has been a period during which young people have grown into key contributors to peaceful unification on the Korean Peninsula. The next decade will require even more strategic and proactive youth participation and leadership."

 

Vice-chairperson Choi Bun-do for the Asia-Pacific region and Vice-chairperson Kim Jeom-bae for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa congratulated the conference on its tenth anniversary and expressed their hope that Young Council Members would help shape the next decade as key contributors to peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula and public diplomacy.

 

In a written congratulatory message, Roh Jae-heon, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to China, emphasized the important role of Young Council Members and the value of solidarity, expressing his hope that young people would make creative contributions to advancing peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula.

 

 

 

Following the opening ceremony, Council Member Cho Hee-sung delivered a presentation titled "A Decade of the Global Youth Council Members Conference: Reflections and Proposals." He reviewed the achievements of the global networks and public diplomacy initiatives built by Young Council Members around the world over the past decade. Looking ahead, he proposed that over the next decade, the value of peace on the Korean Peninsula should be promoted globally through the universal languages of culture and empathy, with the younger generation taking the lead in action-oriented global public diplomacy for peace.

 

 

In a prerecorded lecture, Secretary General Bang Yong-seung introduced the Korean Peninsula Peaceful Coexistence Policy, which is founded on the principles of peaceful coexistence and shared prosperity. He emphasized that acknowledging the differences between the two Koreas and building mutual trust are the starting points for peace on the Korean Peninsula. He further stressed that peace and unification can only be achieved through public understanding and participation, encouraging Young Council Members to play an active role in putting these principles into practice.

 

 

During the breakout discussions, participants actively exchanged ideas on practical approaches to public diplomacy under the theme "The Role of Young Council Members in Advancing Peaceful Coexistence on the Korean Peninsula." They also planned and produced a variety of short-form digital content presenting their vision of peaceful coexistence and the future of the Korean Peninsula from the perspective of the younger generation. During the final presentation session, each group shared the outcomes of its discussions and exchanged views.

 

 

The Young Council Members also presented a plaque of appreciation to Lee No-hoon, Chair of the Shanghai Municipal Chapter, in recognition of his efforts in hosting the conference. They then presented the PUAC flag to the Europe, Middle East and Africa Provincial Assembly and the Middle East Municipal Chapter, which will host the next Global Youth Council Members Conference.

 

 

The Young Council Members visited major historic sites associated with Korea's independence movement, including the former headquarters of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai, which marks the 100th anniversary of its establishment this year, and Hongkou Park. Just as young independence activists planted the seeds of hope for their nation's future in Shanghai a century ago, today's Young Council Members likewise reaffirmed their commitment to forging new solidarity and putting that commitment into action for peaceful coexistence and the future of unification on the Korean Peninsula.