Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies (Director Kwan-Sei Lee), together with the Alumni Association of the University of North Korean Studies, held the 4th Samcheong Forum at Jeongsan Hall on Saturday, December 16, 2023 in Seoul. At the forum, Chairman Chul Un Park (Korean Peninsula Welfare and Unification Foundation) presented 'Reviews on the Roh Tae-Woo Administration's Northern Policy and the Yoon Suk Yeol Administration's North Korea Policy'. This included explanation of the background and meaning of the northern policy, establishment of diplomatic relations with socialist countries, and the engagement policy toward North Korea and the signing of the Inter-Korean Basic Agreement, as well as suggestions for the Yoon government's North Korea policy today and discussion on the future direction of inter-Korean relations. The presentation was followed by Q&A with an audience of approximately 130 people.

In his presentation, Chairman Park said the Northern Policy not only secured economic benefits for communist countries by improving relations with northern states in diplomatic relations focused on the United States and Japan, but it is also an example of South Korea’s attempt at independent diplomacy. He further explained that “It is a search for peaceful unification through a detour. . . . By reducing the room for relations between China and the US as an alternative that North Korea could choose in negotiations, . . . it pushed the North to pursue its true intentions in an agreement with the South.” As a result of South Korea’s continuous efforts for inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation, the 'Agreement on Reconciliation, Non-aggression, Exchange and Cooperation between South and North Korea' was signed.