Minjupyeongtong Jeonnam Association, Peaceful Unification Debate... "Let's Overcome the Cold of the Heart"

Lecture on Strengthening Leadership Competence for Peaceful Unification and Alleviating Depression

The discussion forum held with the 20th Jeonnam Regional Advisory Committee of the National Unification Advisory Council and North Korean defectors in attendance. Photo by Seunghyun Jeong

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jeong Seunghyun] The Jeonnam Regional Council of the National Unification Advisory Council (Vice Chair Jo Okhee, hereinafter referred to as the Peace Council) held a psychological quarantine peace and unification empathy forum both online and offline on the 15th.

The forum was held with advisory committee members belonging to the Jeonnam branch of the Peace Council and North Korean defectors in the Jeonnam region in attendance. Due to COVID-19 social distancing measures, committee members who found it difficult to attend the offline meeting participated via Zoom video conference.

The purpose of this forum was to contribute to psychological quarantine by diagnosing and prescribing the severe psychological anxiety and isolated fatigue experienced by North Korean defectors amid the COVID disaster, while simultaneously realizing the activities of the Peace Council within the local community through strengthening and developing peace and unification leadership capabilities.

Vice Chair Jo Okhee said in her opening remarks, “The number of people complaining of depression has increased due to COVID-19, and this depression, called 'Corona Blue,' is trending due to increased daily stress caused by ongoing social distancing,” adding, “Through this psychological quarantine forum, I hope we can diagnose anxious mental health and prescribe psychological quarantine programs to take off toward a healthy peace and unification.”

On this day, instructor Im Geunhee from the Integrity Culture Research Institute was invited to provide education on properly understanding social soft leadership and establishing values through recent social consensus. Following this, expert Ma Kyungja from the Empathy Education Research Institute conducted a professional demonstration and discussion on ‘Mind Management’ and carried out psychological quarantine device testing and analysis, facilitating interactive discussions and gathering public opinion for professional counseling prescriptions.

Lastly, communication expert Byeon Eunjeong delivered a professional lecture titled ‘Our Attitude Toward Peaceful Unification’ and took time to collect discussions and opinions from Peace Council members.

Shin Hyeseon, an advisory committee member of the Mokpo Regional Committee of the National Unification Advisory Council who attended the forum, said, “If the depression caused by Corona Blue becomes an obstacle to the declaration of the end of the war, which is the wish of the people of the Korean Peninsula, we must definitely overcome it,” adding, “I hope this forum will lay a good foundation for a healthy Korean Peninsula and peaceful unification.”