Y
Yale Model United Nations
K orea 2013
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YMUN A At A Glance
Our Mission What is YMUN Korea?
YMUN Korea In Depth What is MUN? Why YMUN Korea? Special Events The Stage: Seoul, Korea
How Committees Work
The Basics Committee Spotlight: SPECPOL
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YMUN Korea Schedule and Events
Pre-conference Schedule Conference Schedule
Registration Logistics
Registering for YMUN Group Registration Payment Information Refund Policy
Find Out More
Contact Information
YMUN Korea At A Glance OUR MISSION •
To create an engaging learning environment, in which students can practice international diplomacy, as well as hone debating and speaking skills
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To encourage students to critically examine, debate and discuss some of the pressing contemporary issues facing the world today
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To challenge delegates to think like global citizens and to approach issues with a more global perspective
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To provide delegates with a diverse, dynamic, international experience, which is both intellectually stimulating and thoroughly enjoyable
MAY
17-19
WHAT IS YMUN KOREA? YMUN Korea is an annual Model United Nations Conference for high school students hosted by the Yale International Relations Association (YIRA) in Seoul, South Korea. YIRA is a nonprofit student organization at Yale University that aims to raise awareness of and stimulate debate about global affairs and international relations. Attracting delegates from South Korea and surrounding countries, the conference will host approximately 500 students over the course of three days, from May 17 to May 19, 2013.
YMUN Korea encourages delegates to think thoroughly, quickly and creatively while participating in structured but constructive debate on a variety of relevant issues. Overseen by Yale student staffers, a vast range of historical, geographical and diverse committees on international peace and security, and socioeconomic progress will be offered. Delegates will learn how to prioritize national interests amongst the demands of the international community in light of immediate or prolonged crisis.
YMUN Korea is the first conference in Asia to be hosted single-handedly by an American university. This conference is unique from others in Asia in that the core Secretariat consists of Yale students in direct partnership with South Korean high school upperclassmen from a variety of different schools. In short, a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences have contributed to the creation of this conference.
YMUN Korea held its first annual conference in the spring of 2012, but its partner organization, YMUN, has been in place since 1974. Bringing with it this spirit of longevity and innovation, along with the prestige of the Yale name,YMUN Korea is rapidly making itself known as one of the premier educational simulations of international relations in Asia.
May 2013 • YMUN Korea Viewbook 2
YMUN Korea In Depth WHAT IS MUN? Model United Nations provides students with the opportunity to learn about and discuss today’s most relevant issues in international diplomacy through participation in an academic simulation of the many bodies of the United Nations as well as other similar international organizations. Through the process of pre-conference research and in-conference debate, caucusing, and resolution writing, delegates work together to fashion solutions to these questions, while simultaneously articulating the opinions of the real United Nations ambassadors and delegates whom they represent. By converting this research into resolutions and material for discussion in committee, students hone their analytical abilities, while the debate and lobbying processes afford students the opportunity to practice their public speaking and conflict resolution skills. Through this, Model United Nations allows participants to expand both their understanding of globally-relevant issues and their ability to think critically about them.
WHY YMUN KOREA? YMUN Korea is the world’s premiere Yale undergraduate-run conference in Korea. Combining an exciting educational experience with practical application, YMUN Korea challenges students to think critically and examine the world’s contemporary issues in a global context. YMUN Korea is especially unique in that it retains the Yale commitment to educational excellence and provides delegates with the highest standard of enrichment. YMUN Korea has selected a group of dedicated and passionate Yale students who will cooperate with their Korean colleagues to provide the best intellectual and social conference experience for delegates. By preparing comprehensive study guides and training capable staff members for the conference, YMUN Korea staff aim to make your YMUN Korea experience the best possible. While the rigorous and stimulating committee sessions are the focus of YMUN Korea, numerous events are available for delegates to partake in outside of committee sessions.
SPECIAL EVENTS Throughout the duration of the conference, delegates will have ample opportunity to meet both their peers and the YMUN Korea staff through various social events, including the first annual Yale Ball. Discussion panels will also be held pertaining to American universities and their application process. More information will be made available on the YMUN Korea website as the conference date approaches. THE STAGE: SEOUL, KOREA As Korea’s leading dynamic city, Seoul provides the ideal atmosphere for the kind of rigorous intellectual discourse YMUN Korea faciliatates. Combining centuries of Korean culture and tradition with breakthrough technology and rapid financial growth, Seoul is the perfect stage upon which hundreds of passionate young delegates can gather and engage with the most pressing issues in international affairs. Seoul is home to Korea’s most renowned research institutions -- and with them, some of the brightest and most academically curious students the nation has to offer. This is an accurate reflection on the incredible caliber of YMUN Korea delegates as a whole. Seoul, Korea truly is the premiere location for a what will be an unprecedented Model UN experience.
May 2013 • YMUN Korea Viewbook 3
How Committees Work THE BASICS At Yale, we pride ourselves on our commitment to rigorous debate. Students here engage in serious conversation about the issues that matter both in and outside of the classroom. At YMUN Korea, we hope to bring the spirit and culture of debate at Yale into the lives of high school students around the world. Our committees do this by combining the best of the traditional Model United Nations format with elements of Yale’s own intellectual tradition.
Committees at YMUN Korea combine discussion of events in the here and now with careful probing into the deeper issues at stake. For example, our committee on Disarmament and International Security will not only debate the pressing issue of the small arms trade and its impact on governments today, but also develop a legal framework for justice after war, tackling important questions of war guilt and responsibility. We hope that the interrelationships between both principle and application will prove intellectually stimulating to those who join us in committee.
The committees at YMUN Korea will uniquely offer an authentic taste of the university experience. Moderators and chairs will be chosen from the ranks of Yale’s most enthusiastic and knowledgeable to bring the expertise necessary to ensure the success and academic rigor of every committee. Furthermore, at the beginning of each committee, a Yale faculty expert will provide via video an analysis of the issue at hand, putting the students’ debate into a broader international context.
COMMITTEE SPOTLIGHT: SPECPOL
What distinguishes YMUN Korea’s committees from those at a typical Model United Nations conference is not limited to the Yale experience alone. At other Model United Nations conferences, debate often neglects analyzing the fundamental legal and philosophical principles that undergird any meaningful conversation about international affairs.
PHOTOS: YMUN KOREA 2012
Delegates from last year’s conference.
Committees at YMUN Korea will test delegates’ knowledge and debating skills to their utmost. Selecting the best topics from the established canon of Model United Nations materials, we combine the excellence of a traditional Model United Nations experience with a fresh, new academic perspective unique to YMUN Korea. Our Special Political and Decolonization Committee (SPECPOL) brings into focus two topics: the current situation in the Israel-Palestine conflict, and the wider debate around the U.N. initiative and set of principles known as the Responsibility to Protect. Both topics demand deep research and a clear understanding of international affairs. They encourage debate both on matters of principle and on best practice. By ensuring and reinforcing the highest standards of academic thoroughness and wellinformed debate, we plan on making the discussions that emerge from our topics truly thought-provoking., engaging with the most profound issues world leaders face today.
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YMUN Korea Schedule A nd Events PRE-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE OCTOBER
NOVEMBER 22
DECEMBER 31 FEBRUARY 15
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
YMUN’s Secretariat is selected, and planning for the conference begins
Friday, May 17, 2013
Early Registration Opens
5:30 - 6:00pm
Regular Registration Registration Closes (No refunds after this date)
2:00 - 6:00pm 3:30 - 4:30pm
6:00 - 7:00pm 7:00 - 7:30pm
Registration Pre-Conference Training Workshop Begin Seating for Opening Ceremonies Opening Ceremonies In-committee Review of Parliamentary Procedures
7:00 - 8:00pm 7:30 - 10:00pm 10 - 11:30pm
Yale Session I* Committee Session I Social Event I
Saturday, May 18 FEBRUARY 25
MARCH 1
APRIL 18
Late Registation Closes
Country Assignments Released
Online Position Paper Deadline
9:00 - 11:30am 11:30 - 1:00pm
Committee Session II Lunch
1:00 - 2:00pm 2:00 - 3:00pm
Yale Session II* Yale Session III*
2:00 - 5:00pm 5:00 - 6:30pm
Committee Session III Dinner
6:30 - 9:30pm
Committee Session IV
10:00 - 12:00am
Yale Ball**
Sunday, May 19 MAY 17, 2013
Delegates begin arriving for YMUN Korea!
9:00 -11:30am 11:30 - 12:00pm 12:00 - 1:30pm
Committee Session V In-Committee Q&A Session About Life at Yale Closing Ceremonies
* Topics to be determined ** Dress code semi formal
New Delegate Training
Recognizing that delegates come with varying levels of experience,YMUN Korea hosts a delegate training session that outlines parliamentary procedure, the structure of committee debate, and strategies for participating in debate. In addition to the training session, online training materials will be available prior to the conference. Both help to ensure that all delegates can fully participate in and reap the most out of the conference.
Yale Related Events
In addition to insider tips and information on how to apply to American universities, the Yale Secretariat will be hosting various events throughout the conference and distributing resources to delegates pertaining to life at Yale. For delegates considering studying internationally, these resources will prove an invaluable look into the admissions process, with the opportunity to talk one-on-one with current Yale students who have experienced the process firsthand.
Yale Ball
Along with the educational aspects of the conference, YMUN Korea will also offer several venues for social interactions between delegates in order to forge connections and friendships. In order to foster a comprehensive understanding of diplomacy, the backbone of the United Nations, YMUN Korea is proud to present the Yale Ball on Saturday, May 18, 2013. Delegates will have this opportunity to befriend fellow delegates outside of the committee room. After hours of critical debate and innovative thinking, the YMUN Korea staff highly recommends delegates to attend the first inaugural Yale Ball to enjoy a night as decorous and elegant young adults. May 2013 • YMUN Korea Viewbook 5
R egistration Logistics REGISTERING FOR YMUN
PAYMENT INFORMATION
Registering for YMUN Korea is quick and simple. Just complete the online registration form, which can be found on our website: http://ymunkorea.yira.org
Once you have registered using the online registration form, you will receive further information on how to pay your individual delegate fee. Please note: Your registration will not be considered complete until payment has gone through. We strongly encourage delegates to finalize payment as soon as possible after registering in order to secure their spot.
After submitting, please await further instructions.
GROUP REGISTRATION For convenience, delegates can register together in groups under a school name or a head adviser. If you have any questions about the group registration process, please feel free to contact USG of Delegations, Jade Ford at: ymunkorea.delegations@yira.org
Refund Policy
ABOVE: Online registration form for the YMUN
Korea 2013 conference.
EARLY REGISTRATION
REGULAR REGISTRATION
LATE REGISTRATION
INDIVIDUAL DELEGATE FEE
INDIVIDUAL DELEGATE FEE
INDIVIDUAL LATE FEE
Thursday, November 22nd Monday, December 31st
$200
Monday, December 31st Friday, February 15th
$220
Friday, February 15th Monday, February 25th
$50
We understand that unforeseen events may prevent some delegates from attending the conference. Registered delegates are entitled to receive a partial refund until as late as February 15, 2013. Delegates who registered with Early Registration can receive up to $150 back, and delegates who registered with Regular Registration can receive up to $170. No requests for refunds will be considered after the February 15th deadline.
MUN KOREA
2013
REGISTER TODAY
Experience the Ivy League and discuss modern global issues at Yale’s premiere Model UN conference in Seoul, Korea. On behalf of the Yale Secretariat, we look forward to seeing you there! May 2013 • YMUN Korea Viewbook 6
FIND OUT MORE Learn About Registration
Inquire About Sponsorship
ymunkorea.delegations@yira.org
ymunkorea.marketing@yira.org
Learn About Committees
Direct Other Inquiries To
ymunkorea.committees@yira.org
ymunkorea.secgen@yira.org
Learn About Conference Events
Director General, Margaret Lee
Contact USG of Delegations, Jade Ford
Contact USG of Committees, John D’Amico
Contact USG of Conference, Sabine Lee
Contact USG of Marketing, Megan Gallman
Secretary General, Daniel Mitropolsky
ymunkorea.dgyale@yira.org
ymunkorea.conference@yira.org Viewbook Creation: Megan Gallman & Lillian Xie