- Youth from Seven East Asian Countries Gather in Pohang for
NEAR Model General Assembly -
The 2025 NEAR Young Leaders Forum opened on Tuesday, August 5 at the main auditorium of Handong Global University. Approximately, 60 participants attended the event, including youth delegates from seven NEAR member countries (China, Korea, Mongolia, Russia, Vietnam, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan). The forum was held under the overarching theme, “Global Green Growth and the Role of Young Leaders.”
The opening ceremony featured welcoming remarks by NEAR Secretary-General Lim Byung-jin, a congratulatory address by Handong Global University President Choi Do-sung, and video messages from the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Korea, as well as the Consuls General of China, Russia, and Mongolia in Busan. The ceremony continued with participant self-introductions and statements on their impressions.
In his opening remarks, Secretary-General Lim stated, “At a time when the world and East Asia are experiencing deepening tension and conflict rather than cooperation and competition, it is especially meaningful for young leaders to gather together, build friendships, and share a spirit of mutual respect and understanding. I hope this event will serve as a seed for the joint prosperity and peace of Northeast Asia’s future.”
In his welcome address, President Choi expressed his hope that “youth from Northeast and Central Asia, with diverse languages and cultures, will go beyond simple international exchange to become seeds of tangible change by communicating and empathizing with each other around the shared global challenges of climate change and carbon neutrality.”
The embassies and consulates of Uzbekistan, China, Russia, and Mongolia sent video messages to encourage the youth participants, demonstrating strong interest from the diplomatic missions in Korea.
Alisher Abdusalomov, Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Korea, congratulated the hosting of the NEAR Young Leaders Forum, noting its theme aligns with the policy direction of the Uzbek government. He warmly welcomed the Uzbek youth delegation, expressed high expectations for their engagement in the forum and hoped the event would not only foster personal growth but also contribute to regional development and peace.
Chen Ribiao, Consul General of China in Busan, emphasized that in the face of a rapidly changing international order and the climate crisis, the younger generation must take an active role as key drivers of green growth. He highly praised NEAR’s efforts to strengthen exchange and cooperation in the Northeast Asian region and affirmed that the Consulate General of China in Busan would continue to support NEAR’s friendly cooperation and substantive inter-local exchanges.
Oksana Dudnik, Consul General of Russia in Busan, described the Young Leaders Forum as an important platform for sharing creative potential and ideas. She expressed her hope that, under the themes of environmental sustainability and joint prosperity in Northeast Asia, meaningful exchanges would take place grounded in cultural diversity and mutual respect.
Chaganguvugun Jadamba, Consul General of Mongolia in Busan, addressed the youth participants via video, encouraging them to share knowledge and experiences through the forum and to create opportunities for joint growth across the Northeast Asian region. He extended heartfelt encouragement to the Mongolian participants, urging them to engage actively and cultivated leadership qualities befitting the global era.
Now in its seventh year, the forum is running from August 4 to 8 and is designed to provide participants with an international diplomatic setting in which to discuss environmental issues and measure for international cooperation. Notably, departing from its previous English-language format, this year's entire program is being conducted in Korean to promote the Korean language and culture.
This year's program includes lectures on subtopics such as “The Role of Young Leaders in Driving Green Growth” and “Discovering Green Growth Projects and International Cooperation Models. A highlight is a special lecture by Prof. Kwak Sang-hoon of the Center for Creativity and Convergence Education at Handong Global University on “Global ESG and Green Growth. The program also features the NEAR Model General Assembly, as well as special lectures by Ambassador Kang Seok-hee of Gyeongsangbuk-do, titled “A Diplomat’s Insights,” Vice President Bang Cheong-rok of Handong Global University, titled “Understanding International Organizations,” and Pohang City Environment Policy Division Director Park Sun-young, titled “Pohang’s Environmental Policy.”
In addition, the program features a Cultural Exchange Night, a cultural tour of Gyeongju, the host city of the upcoming APEC summit, Korean cultural experiences, and eco-friendly upcycling workshops. Through these activities, participants will not only develop a global mindset and promote APEC, but also gain firsthand experience Korean culture, the unique characteristics of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, and an understanding of the importance of environmental protection.
The forum is co-hosted by the NEAR Secretariat and Handong Global University, with support from Gyeongsangbuk-do Province and the City of Pohang.