About
The Hawjeong Peace Foundation is an independent, non-partisan, private organization established by The Dong-A Ilbo, Korea’s one of the largest and most prestigious daily newspapers. The Hawjeong Peace Foundation is the new name of the Peace Foudation 21 that has been in operation since April 3, 2000. It was ne-named after Dr. Byung-Kwan Kim (Pen name : Hawjeong), then chairman of the newspaper. Dong-A Ilbo. The new name was adopted on April 3, 2006. The Foundation’s main objective is to promote world peace and uphold the spirit of transnational cooperation by means of research, publication, education, and cultural/academic exchange projects.
PEACE21 can trace its origins to 1968, when The Dong-A Iibo founded The Korean Unification Research Society (KURS) as a study group for journalists. KURS evolved into The Security and Unification Research Institute in 1972, which was then renamed The Institute for Unification in 1991.
In all of its undertakings, PEACE21 is committed to highlighting the urgent issues of the day, and providing views, alternatives and solutions for a more harmonious world. Maintaining its independent status and objective perspective, PEACE21 provides a uniquely balanced bridge between academia and policy-making.
More specifically, The foundation & PEACE21’s activities and resources are centered around the following areas
- 01.The research and study of inter-Korean relations to bolster peace on the Korean peninsula, with an ultimate goal of reunification.
- 02.The development of an intra-Asian and international network for intellectual and cultural exchanges.
- 03.The publication and dissemination of research findings that will further the cause of world peace and improve the quality of human life.
- 04.The hosting of domestic and international seminars, conferences, and forums on a regular basis to advocate peace and international goodwill.
Concurrent with the establishment of The Foundation in 2000, the Institute for Unification was reborn as PEACE21 an entity that is financed and supervised by the Foundation. The Foundation’s Board of Trustees is responsible for setting the Institute’s strategic direction, and the Director of PEACE21 is tasked with overseeing policy issues, planning and executing projects, approving publications, and managing the staff. The Institute also receives the generous support of philanthropic foundations, corporations, and private donations.