HUFS Model United Nations to Host 47th Model UN General Assembly Next Month

The Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Model United Nations (HIMUN) announced on the 14th that it will hold the 47th Model UN General Assembly on the theme of "International Discussions on Humans and Artificial Intelligence" on the 2nd of next month at Sky Art Hall in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, in collaboration with the Seoul National University AI Institute (AIIS).

HIMUN 47th Model United Nations General Assembly Poster. [Image source=Hankuk University of Foreign Studies]

HIMUN, which started in 1958 as the first Model United Nations and foreign language academic event in Korea, inherits the UN's fundamental ideals of "freedom, equality, and fraternity for international peace and human security" and holds a public general assembly every year.

At this Model UN General Assembly, in accordance with UN rules of procedure, a total of seven representatives will speak on the agenda in their respective national languages. All speeches will be interpreted into the UN's six official languages (English, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, Arabic) as well as Korean.

This year's participating countries are the United States, Korea, the United Kingdom, South Africa, China, Japan, and Canada, totaling seven countries. Based on the keynote speeches of each country's representatives, working groups will be formed, with the criteria for forming these groups being geographical proximity and shared interests. The working groups for this 47th General Assembly are Group A, consisting of AI technology-leading countries that focus more on protecting their own technology than on technology exchange, and Group B, consisting of AI technology follower countries that actively pursue technology exchange and national aid. Countries included in Group A are Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, while Group B includes Korea, China, and South Africa.

To ensure academic integrity, the Seoul National University AI Institute, a co-hosting organization, will review the agenda. The general public can attend free of charge. The pre-registration period is until the 18th. By submitting the pre-registration form and providing proof of attendance at the General Assembly, an official certificate of attendance bearing the seal of the president of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies will be issued.