What Is the Solution for the "New Pacific Era"?... National Pukyong University Holds Colloquium on "Exploring Sustainable Pan-Pacific Systems"

Published 01 Dec.2025 11:51(KST)

The sustainability of the Pan-Pacific region, often referred to as "half the world," is under threat. Where is the fate of this vast ocean headed?

The Global Area Studies Institute at National Pukyong University (Director: Park Sanghyun, Professor of International Area Studies) held the 18th Pan-Pacific Colloquium on November 27 in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Business Building, 5th floor.

Participants of the 18th Pan-Pacific Colloquium are taking a commemorative photo. Photo by National Pukyong University

Held under the theme "The Long-Term Pan-Pacific: Exploring Sustainable Systems," the event featured a special lecture and discussion led by Kim Jinki, Professor Emeritus of Japanese Language and Literature at National Pukyong University.

Professor Kim analyzed that the deterioration of mutual perceptions between Korea and Japan stems from identity conflicts and a desire for recognition, both triggered by shifts in relative national power. He described Japan's "ruling power syndrome," characterized by anxiety and an inward-looking mindset due to the weakening of its great power status, and the "emerging nation syndrome" of Korea and China, which demand international respect based on hard power such as industrialization and science and technology, as well as soft power like the Korean Wave.

He suggested that to stabilize the long-term structural conflicts among Korea, China, and Japan, a "preemptive action list" should be developed at the national and governmental levels to coordinate public opinion and diplomatic disputes in advance.

Following the lecture, there was an active discussion among undergraduate and graduate researchers, area studies experts, and international political analysts.

Park Sanghyun, Director of the Global Area Studies Institute, stated, "We must stop repeating the conflict narratives of the past and instead build a research-policy ecosystem that precisely analyzes the structural changes in public perceptions among Korea, China, and Japan, transforming them into agendas for cooperation based on mutual respect and preemptive prevention."

Since being selected for the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Institute Support Project by the National Research Foundation of Korea (2020-2026), the Global Area Studies Institute at National Pukyong University has been conducting research on "The Peaceful Co-evolution of Multiple Civilizations in the Pan-Pacific as a Mega-Region: Regional Integration, National Competition, and Urban Hospitality."