Issue 2 - November 4, 2011 by seoulite sis

2 STAFF

STAFF PAGE ADVISOR MS. CAROLYN BROWN LAYOUT JAY CHUNG JEANNE HAN EUGENE KIM JOSHULYNE PARK MILTON YOON

REPORTERS CELINE HWANG JEESEOB JUNG RACHAEL LEE ASHLEY KIM SANGWON KIM BONA KOO HELEN SONG CHUNGHO SUH YASMIN YOON

GRAPHICS JULIE CHUNG CHRIS LEE LINDA PARK EUNA SUN WINSTON YOO

LAYOUT EDITOR- JASMINE PARK GRAPHICS EDITOR- AMY CHOI MANAGING EDITOR- JONATHAN YUN ASSISTANT EDITOR- ELIZABETH SONG

EDITORS-IN-CHIEFEUNICE LEE & SEAN KIM

getting to know BY ELIZABETH SONG Since a majority of SEOMUN delegates are from South Korea, many already know Ban Ki-moon, the current Secretary General (SG) of the UN. News of his promotion in 2007 was a popular topic of discussion and a source of pride for South Korea. On the other hand, not as many people know who the spokesperson of the UN is, even though he deserves more attention for fulfilling such vital roles. Here is a brief biography on Mr. Nesirky, the current spokesman: Mr. Nesirky, who replaced his predecessor Michelle Montas of Haiti on Nov. 30, 2009, has had 20 years of experience in journalism, media

IN-ZONE

Martin Nesirky

relations and international affairs. Before he started working with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and Vienna, where he served as spokesman and head of press and public information since 2006, he worked at Reuters, a British news agency in London. At Reuters, he reported on many political issues, such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, events in the Balkans and denuclearization. In addition, he was responsible for covering the Commonwealth of Independent States and topics re-

garding the Middle East and Africa. Despite his deep involvement in politics and journal-

Knowing who the SG is a given, but familiarizing oneself with the mouthpiece of the UN is equally important. ism, Mr. Nesirky will still have to confront the many problems that come with being a spokesperson of such a large peacemaking body. For example, he will have to accommodate the needs of 192 different governments. He must constantly be careful with what he says

so that he does not upset too many political leaders. According to Patrick Worsnip, Mr. Nesirky’s former colleague and current Reuters bureau chief at the UN, another challenge Mr. Nesirky will have to face is related to SG Ban Ki-moon, who has received much criticism from the media for his awkward use of English and “failure” to resolve world crises. Even with all these obstacles, it is clear that Mr. Nesirky’s work is invaluable to the UN and should not go unnoticed by student MUN delegates. Knowing who the SG is is a given, but familiarizing oneself with the mouthpiece of the UN is equally important.

syrian government decides to end anti-government protest crackdown

BY JONATHAN YUN

After almost eight months of constant crossfire between the protestors and the government, the Syrian government took a democratic approach and agreed to halt its crackdown on anti-government demonstrations. The Arab League reported that the stopping of the suppression was not the only decision that the Syrian government agreed to, as Syrian President’s Bashar al-Assad’s administration concurred to release political prisoners who were involved with the protests to pull troops out of the streets and allow Arab League observers and international journalists into Syria. Though the Syrian govern-

ment has taken steps towards democracy, Edward Park, adviser of USA in the Advisory Panel (AP), remains suspicious about the reform. “It is good news that Syria is moving towards a less corrupt government and instead promoting democracy,” said Edward. “However, I am curious about the reason behind all these decisions by the Syrian government. I am also skeptical that other theocratic countires under dictatorships will implement similar policies.” On the other hand, Justin Lee, International Court of Justice judge, is optimistic about the democratic appeal from the Syrian government. “I think these changes will

serve as a good model for other nations experiences protests for democratic changes,” said Justin. “If these reforms turn out to be bad decisions, then the Syrian government will at least learn from its mistakes for a brighter future.” Other nations have also casually accepted President alAssad’s agreements. “The United Kingdom welcomes any democratic change as long as it does not infringe upon our national interest,” said Hyong Seok Kim, adviser of United Kingdom in AP. These reforms are not the first time Syria tried to appeal to its citizens. According to Cable News Network (CNN), the Syrian government made

previous assurances to withdraw armed troops from civilian areas. Although the armored forces were pulled out, the infantry was still left to patrol the streets. Anti-government protestors condemned these pledges as efforts to buy time. Syria is one of many Middle Eastern and North African nations involved in the so-called “Arab Spring” revolutions, which first began in Tunisia back in January. Since the Syrian uprising began in midMarch, an estimated 3,000 people have died in an attempt to bring down President alAssad’s regime.

4 POINT of INTEREST

Opening ceremony leaves participants with new expectations BY BONA KOO Once the opening ceremony commenced with the groovy beat of the jazz band, delegates took their seats to get started for this year’s SEOMUN conference. While delegates were catching up with each other, Jenny Jang, the Deputy Secretary General (DSG) and Heejae Choi, the Secretary General (SG) made their finishing touches to their speeches. The crowd quieted down and the ceremony officially began as the DSG welcomed the MUN adviser, Kevin Duncan, to the podium. “There are many special guests in this year’s SEOMUN,” said Mr. Duncan. “We have the honor of having Mr. John Delury, Ms. June J. H. Lee, Mr. Jeffrey Boyce, and Professor Cheol Park, as our guest speakers of today. Also, we invited Dr. Minh A. Luong, the keynote speaker for today.” Following Mr. Duncan’s opening speech, Heejae Choi brought up a new issue to pon-

der upon: globalization. “A few decades ago, SEOMUN would have been a dream,” said Heejae. “We live in a globalized society and the world today is no longer disjointed regardless of the geographical location. However, globalization has brought some negative consequences because one nation’s BY EUNA SUN issue becomes the whole world’s issue.” She also addressed how important it was to be a global leader and how much of a privilege it was to have Dr. Minh A. Luong, the Assistant Director of International Security Studies at Yale University and the Associate Director of the Brady-Johnson Center in Grand Strategy. “When I was your age, I didn’t have SEOMUN, so I

think it’s extremely lucky for you to start valuable training from such a young age,” said Mr. Luong. “Instead, I met ambassadors and they gave me the intention and the potential of the UN. Remember, the final attribute of a leader is humility, not fame. Prepare now and do something wonderful—good luck.” As the opening ceremony came to a close, delegates left

the auditorium encouraged to become improved global citizens. “Mr. Luong gave us his personal account on how we could become global leaders and the importance for new leaders to be well-rounded. He also inspired us to pursue our studies in various subjects,” said Caroline Kim, the delegate of Cote D’Ivoire in the Economic and Social Council.

Delegates make sacrifices for MUN

BY HELEN SONG Every year, SEOMUN welcomes delegates from many international schools, including schools from China and Vietnam. Although the primary purpose of students coming from abroad is to write resolutions and participate in debates, they also enjoy the opportunity to explore and learn about Korea. Seoul is already a popular tourist destination in Asia, and when foreign delegates decide to come to SEOMUN, many look forward to experiencing Korean culture in addition to gaining MUN experience. “What first came to my mind when I thought about

coming to Korea was Korean food, like ddokbokki and Korean barbeque and shopping for clothes,” said Annette Wu, a delegate from British International School of Vietnam (BIS-V), who is coming to SEOMUN for the third year. “But I was just as excited to meet my fellow delegates and homestay family.” This year’s foreign delegates have also found Korea to be a pleasant to visit, and appreciated the clean and friendly environment. “The hotel we are staying at was very nice and the air here is clean,” said Gun Jong Choi, a delegate from Tianjin Inter-

national School. “In China, the air is very polluted, so it was a nice change. Also, the taxi drivers were very friendly.” As delegates continue to tour Seoul and better understand the city, they also recognize it as an appropriate location for MUN conferences. “Seoul, Korea is a model of rapid economic and social development—a city that mingles rich traditional culture with progress and modernity,” said Annette. “All of that makes it the perfect platform for the future’s global leaders to meet, debate and learn.” Advisers, too, along with delegates, were able to enjoy

the various attractions that Korea offered. Foreign visitors appreciated the history and culture, regardless of their age and purpose. “Fukuoka is a pretty small city, much smaller than Seoul,” said Justin Goff, an adviser from Fukuoka International School. “My favorite food is the Korean barbeque, but recently I tried the hodduk, and I have never tasted anything like it. Not only that, but Namdaemun and Dongdaemun were both famous shopping areas that we all enjoyed.”

POINT of INTEREST

Meet Bob: SEOMUN XIV

PREPARING FOR

BY SANGWON KIM Meet Bob. Bob is currently a sophomore enrolled in an international school in South Korea. He encounters a series of problems while preparing for this year’s SEOMUN at Korea International School. Bob was troubled. In an effort to prepare delegates for the MUN conference, his school began to hold mock debates every day during activity period. Since they were administered to run in a fashion almost identical to the United Nations conferences, the workload delegates had to

do was equally as great. Poor Bob here had a mortal fear of speeches and became inarticulate whenever he stood in front of a podium. However, he was able to overcome his troubles by performing his own rituals before any public speaking event: He would drink exactly four gulps of water, undo his tie and redo it. Such habitual behavior helped him calm his nerves before giving a speech. Another aspect of MUN that consumed much of Bob’s time was writing resolutions.

He knew that it was one of the most fundamental parts of the United Nations conference. He knew he had to manage his time wisely because as a sophomore, he had many other tasks he had to finish, such as club activities, volleyball and school homework. His first resolution was condemned by his fellow peers for “having so many holes,” including contradictions, convention errors and implausible proposals. His chair criticized his work harshly, describing it as “feeble” and “poor”.

As time passed however, Bob became more accustomed to the systematic running of MUN debates. He began to understand the true reason behind mock debates—that practice makes perfect. Bob learned that although practice may be tedious at times, it is best to understand that full commitment is the requirement for any activity one may attempt. After all the long hours spent in preparation for SEOMUN, Bob was finally ready for the conference.

Social Advantages of Lobbying

BY JEESEOB JUNG Often times, teachers remind the students, “Two brains at work are always better than one.” This frequently used saying is definitely pertinent to MUN delegates as they work together to form resolutions during lobbying sessions on the first day of conference. Delegates were to submit their resolutions—considered one of the most critical parts of the MUN experience—to the approval panel by the end of the day yesterday, after much research and discussion. “Certainly, lobbying is the most important part of SEOMUN,” said Marcus Lee, delegate of Argentina in the Human Rights Council (HRC). “It helps us recognize other members and include them in the resolutions that we must make and create, and eventually in the end we will come up with something that we would never be able to achieve on our own.” Some difficulties that delegates faced were coming up with statements that represented the various opinions on

BY LINDA PARK

the issue. The most common problem was putting the ideas together into one resolution and making sure that the explanations do not go too overboard. “Making a resolution sometimes makes my brain go on hold because I suddenly don’t know what to think about,” said Albert Kim, delegate of Guatemala in HRC. Nevertheless, despite these challenges, delegates benefited from the cooperative nature of the lobbying process, which required delegates to share

their opinions and ideas about how to improve social conditions. “We’re all from different places, and there are several foreign delegates here,” said Joosun Kim, delegate of Russia in General Assembly Two. “Making a resolution together will definitely make the presentation stronger and improve the look of what we submit.” Lobbying also allowed delegates to form social relationships—it is not uncommon for delegates to befriend one an-

other as they work together to co-submit a resolution. “As MUN delegates, we really need a good idea of social interaction and talking with one another,” said Joosun. “Lobbying is a great advantage because it really helps me grow as a people person.” “Taking a big step is hard for some, and especially breaking out of a social box is one that MUN delegates must take in order to get out there,” said Albert. In fact, creating a social network with other delegates and maintaining friendly relationships—even outside lobbying—is considered to be critical to the success of a MUN career. “All these delegates have come together today after a lot of hard work and practice to make more contributions together as a MUN society and represent our sisues as a group,” said Heejae Choi, Secretary General, in her speech during the opening ceremony.

6 COMMITTEE GA 1 and 2 lobby for support for resolutions BY YASMIN YOON AND CELINE HWANG Tension and heat rose in of implementing tariffs, we General Assembly One and explain that if China continTwo (GA1, GA2) as main-sub- ues its unfair practices, it will mitters fought for co-submit- negatively affect the econoters to support their resolution. my overall, causing inflation Daniel Kim, delegate of and weakened economies in Chad in GA2, won support developed countries, trade for the specificity of his resolu- deficits, and decreased sales.” tion, which suggested putting The delegate of Chad providtariffs on Chinese imports in ed a counterargument against countries where China has a the delegate of UK’s resolution. big market advantage so that it “The delegate of UK’s resowill not manipulate currency. lution does not have a specific Ian Kim, delegate of the solution to China’s case,” said United Kingdom (UK) in Gen- Daniel. “My solution helps eral Assembly Two, submitted China’s global image, and a similar resolution; however, puts China’s currency back to gain China’s support, he to normal. This resolution is eliminated the tariffs pro- more beneficial for China’s posed by the delegate of Chad. economy because the tariff “We have a reason—a decreases each time the curmotive—for China to par- rency returns to normal.” ticipate,” said Ian. “Instead Meanwhile, GA1 delegates

also lobbied for each other’s support. Two resolutions regarding the steps that should be taken to ensure safety against cyber warfare competed against each other for approval. Min Woo Sun, delegate of Afghanistan in GA1, was the main-submitter for a resolution on establishing an international method to ensure safety against cyber warfare. Some co-submitters were the delegates of Switzerland, Malaysia and the United Kingdom. “The resolution focuses on raising awareness about the dangers of cyber warfare,” said Min Woo. “It also tries to get several countries to agree to stop cyber weapons from being used. It should be supported because it suggests realistic

long term and short term actions that should be taken.” A resolution on the same topic was also main-submitted by Kelly Cho, delegate of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Her resolution also focused on setting standards for the definition of cyber warfare and creating a cyber army unit. “This resolution covers a wide variety of aspects on an issue that should be addressed immediately,” said Kelly. Since this issue of cyber warfare is an issue that pertains to the 21st century, there are no standards on how to address it. The resolution is meant to serve as a foundation for further resolutions.”

Guest speaker inspires delegates of ECOSOC

BY RACHAEL LEE Guest speaker Cheol Park, a professor and graduate of the Seoul National University, provided information and ideas pertaining to the issues of Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). As the delegates of ECOSOC filed into the room, looking for their appropriate chairs, Professor Park prepared for his speech at the podium. “We are currently living in uncertain times,” said Professor Park. “In the United States, people are demonstrating in Wall Street, and Wall Street is the very symbol of the US economy.” Reducing trade barriers in order to promote interdependence is one of the issues of ECOSOC this conference. According to Professor Park, globalization has its own disadvantages, such as the increased availability of cheap labor, which leads to heightening income inequalities. “In countries suffering from income inequality, the

poor are left out of the benefits of globalization,” said Professor Park. “Cheap labor is the final outcome. Cheap credit is the final outcome and causes financial crises. No country is insulated from events, although in the past it used to be beyond our reach.” After the speech, the guest speaker was open to questions from the ECOSOC delegates. “The United States is issuing too many bonds and printing too much paper money, which may cause inflation,” said Professor Park in response to a question about measures for sustainable debt from Aspen Wang, delegate of Costa Rica. “China, Singapore and Russia prevent the value of the dollar from going down [resulting from economic interdependence].” The delegates of ECOSOC benefitted from the professor’s knowledge on corporate finance and economics. “I now understand that the relationships between coun-

tries are more connected than before,” said Joseph Seongjae Kim, delegate of the Russian Federation. “The economic interdependence was increased and [Professor Park] explained about the trade problems that were related to our issues.” D e l e g at e s then separated into three groups for lobbying based on the three issues of ECOSOC: promoting sustainable debt, strengthening interdependence and the improved treatment of refugees. “The lobbying process was a very thorough process in which we were able to un-

BY JULIE CHUNG

derstand clearly the stance of other countries, said Amy Kim, delegate of USA. “I think the keynote speaker was very beneficial because we were able to incorporate his ideas into our resolution.”

COMMITTEE

Human Rights Council takes another try at labor rights

BY JEESEOB JUNG Many groups such as the Human Rights Council (HRC) support the fight for morals. Like last year and the year before, the council’s issues promote public justice and support lawfulness for the mistreated peoples. The HRC topics this year are the enforcement of labor rights within transnational companies and freedom for unfairly treated women. From the two, the former has received more support from delegates. According to Jisoo Kwak, delegate of Sudan, the mistreatment of labor in nations across the globe have increased in society. “We see this [exploitation of human labor forces] happen in so many presidential companies around the world,” she said. “Life is so hard for them and while it is hard

BY EUNA SUN

to recognize these happenings for us, we really should.” Although belonging to a group that fights for the justice of the people is dutiful, some delegates believed that supporting such a conceptual issue had limitations. “We can’t really suggest building houses or adopting children to exactly affect our

situation,” said Marcus Lee, delegate of Argentina. “We need to fight with our words, and the difficult part of doing that is finding the right ones to support our positions.” To solidify their opinions on these issues through resolutions, the delegates spent all of yesterday lobbying, sharing their ideas and coming

up with solutions to problems regarding human rights. “I definitely feel a lot more comfortable now that I have more ideas to comprehend and add on to,” said Albert Kim, delegate of Guatemala. “Lobbying has helped me understand what’s really going on and connect more with my committee members.” HRC delegates enjoyed their first day of the conference, and looked forward to future MUN experiences. “I look around me and I see so many things now; MUN has definitely helped me gain a broader view of the world,” said Sitt Paing Oo, delegate of Israel. “I never really looked at the small, unnoticeable things in life until I joined MUN.”

Delegates merge their ideas together during lobbying BY BONA KOO The Special Conference (SPC) productively spent the first day of the three-day conference lobbying and merging ideas to form resolutions. With one full day dedicated for lobbying, delegates realized the importance of cooperation and discussion. The three issues the SPC will be debating this year are: deterring cybercrime and ensuring better accountability on the Internet, designating unrestricted access to the World Wide Web at an affordable rate as a human right, and ensuring better transparency in the government’s use of technology. Delegates focused on coming together to form one resolution to present to the rest of

the committee by a main submitter; at the same time, delegates formed friendships with one another. “By lobbying, you can form relationships with other delegates and discuss ideas to see who is for your resolution as well,” said Chunghwa Suh, delegate of Chad. “Therefore, you can get more support which means an increased chance of passing your resolution.” While some groups struggled to determine who their main-submitter was, others quickly formed a skeleton for their resolutions and began brainstorming points to support their stance. “The delegate of Venezuela is main-submitting,” said Yoon Ji Lee, delegate of Japan. “We

are expecting to pass this resolution regarding the issue of deterring cybercrime and ensuring better accountability by using education to alert people and by enhancing legislation. We are still on the process of blending our opinions, but we are on the right track.” Another group covering the issue of designating unrestricted access to the World Wide Web decided on Joe Kim, delegate of Turkey, as the main-submitter. “Our group focuses on raising awareness by showing the positive and negative sides of the issue,” said Joe. “This issue is positive because human rights can be granted to citizens and people don’t feel restricted because they can

access any information. However, it’s negative because children can access inappropriate material and there can be an invasion of privacy. We are trying to pose incentives on why we need our resolution to pass.” Aside from the delegates who were main-submitting, delegates who were co-submitting attempted to help those who needed support for their resolution. “I’m excited for tomorrow,” said Christina Suh, the Deputy Assistant Presdient of SPC. “Even though there are a lot of beginners in this committee, they work hard and original members should try to support each other tomorrow to have an effective debate.”

8 FOCUS

GLOBAL

economic

European crisis threatens global economy BY CHUNGHO SUH

The world economy is currently unraveling at the hands of a global economic crisis. The bursting of mortgage bubbles, the buildup of debt, and the failure of multiple banks have the global economy reeling. In Europe, Greece’s economy began to collapse in 2010, and its economic troubles threaten to pull down the rest of Europe with it. Greece’s problems do not end with its money. Their failures in dealing with its economic policies led to riots, and as a result, an unstable continent. The European Union, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank are all lending money to Greece, but this constant borrowing is not healthy for the global economy. “If I had to loan my money to Greece, I would feel unsafe,” said Kevin Han, advocate of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in the International Court of Justice. “My loans to Greece may not be repaid, and Greece

crisis

would ultimately fail, leading to a complete devastation of Europe’s economy as well as the world’s global economy.” Though these short-term problems are detrimental to the global economy, the world and Europe

GREEK DILEMMA: Government Debt in billions of Euros

299 224

239

329

262

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

INFOGRAPHIC BY AMY CHOI

in particular could be plagued by more woes for years to come. Experts concluded that Europe’s problems are not only limited to its recent economic failures. For years, the European economy has been stagnant. Italy’s economy has not grown in the past ten years. Even Germany, considered to be Europe’s economic engine, had a low average growth rate of 1.5%.

“Having a stable economy may be healthy, but having an economy that refuses to grow is a problem,” said Justin Lee, International Court of Justice judge. “The current economic troubles were inevitable, as Europe could not do anything to enlarge its markets.” These long-term problems are already causing a major disturbance in the global economy. The world economy is resilient to bounce back from these woes. Yet it will take time, effort and cooperation from politicians and UN delegates. “[I am] hoping for a resolution that addresses both an immediate measure that will ameliorate the debt crisis of Greece and other nations in similar situations, and also address long term solutions that will balance the interest rate of member nations of the EU, improving economic equality within nations,” said Cindy Lim, the delegate of Greece in the Economic and Social Council.

From the West to the East BY RACHAEL LEE

The Panic of 1893 may have devastated the citizens of America, but the recessions of the 21st century encompass a much larger sphere of influence. A result of complex financial instruments and mortgage problems, the global financial economic crisis that began in 2008 has led to the economic collapse of several countries. “Because the Eurozone has one simple currency, it has drawn all European countries to downfall with Greece,” said Kathy Yun, Assistant President of ECOSOC “It was like a domino effect, [which is the main issue that affects all delegates].” The recession has had significant effects on many parts of the world. For example, New Yorkers are protesting on Wall Street, blaming the recession on America’s recent economic downturn. In addition, China, the second largest exporting country, reported that its purchasing managers’ index is continuing to decrease. Due to the interconnected nature of the global economy, one country’s collapse often leads to another and calls for cooperation through ef-

fective international policies. “International policies that are only effective for developed countries are common,” said Jisoo Suzy Park, delegate of Angola in ECOSOC. “The delegate of Angola is looking for policies that will help developing countries as well as developed countries.” This economic slump is pertinent to MUN delegates, especially those of the Economic and Social Council, as the forum will debate on the issue of promoting further development of global partnerships to make debt sustainable in the long term. Japan had already been suffering from foreign policy issues before the economic recession. “After the global economic crisis, the earthquakes and the nuclear meltdown, Japan’s citizens have developed a more conscious attitude [towards its economy]”, said Jinwoo Lee, delegate of Japan in ECOSOC. “The Japanese perspective on savings makes export difficult, putting the economy at a standstill. The Japanese government is currently publicly asking [its] citizens to spend more and

FOCUS

cutting down the government officials’ incomes in order to become gradually involved in the global economy.” Admist the current global economic crisis, MUN delegates are in search of a cooperative solution promoting sustainable debt and economic interdependence. South Korea has been suffering from slowing growth, but the delegate of South Korea adopted a optimistic stance towards the issue. “The Republic of Korea is a role model for East Asia’s developing economies,” said Annette Wu, delegate of the Republic of Korea in ECOSOC. “The delegate recognizes the need for self-sufficiency as much as a certain level of government intervention in markets in order to protect developing countries.” On November 1st, 2011, Greece adopted new austerity measures in order to cut expenses and government spending. Additional treaties are allowing the stock markets of Asian countries to regain their previous vigor.

10 COMMITTEE

Keynote speaker further educates delegates on

BY JONATHAN YUN The advisors in Advisory Panel (AP) were treated with a keynote speaker who came in to answer any questions that they had regarding the issue of “green globalization.” Guest speaker Jeffrey Boyce, a former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) environmental scientist, gave a brief presentation on environmentalism. He then answered all the questions the advisors asked, taking them further into their research. “I think he’s not only helping us enforce what we’ve learned from research but also getting all the advisors into the mindset of wanting to get really involved in these issues,” said John Han, advisor of Southern Africa Custom Union. “Certainly for me, he has really helped me take interest in these environmental issues.” Other advisors voiced their

Environmentalism

appreciation for Mr. Boyce’s view,” said Nicholas Yun, Presserviceability to the panel. ident of AP. “Advisors didn’t “I think [Mr. Boyce] is giv- seem to be entirely convinced ing us as advisors a lot of ‘start- by their research, and it’s really ing points’ for brainstorm- eye-opening for the chairs as ing solution,” said Elizabeth well to hear [about environTse, advisor of European Free Trade Association. “It’s good that we’re interacting with him on the issues of debate because personally, I’m getting a much - John Han, adviser of Southern Africa Custom Union. clearer outline of the subtopics underlying the mentalism] from a former enissues now.” vironmental scientist from the Advisors were not the only EPA.” ones who praised Mr. Boyce as According to Jenna Kwon, the chair was also inspired by Assistant President of AP, his contribution. the advisors not only became “Mr. Boyce is giving the more knowledgeable on their advisors much clearer insight topic, but also became more from a professional point of active with their participation.

“I think he’s not only helping us enforce what we’ve learned from research but also getting all the advisers into the mindset of wanting to get really involved in these issues,”

Security Council Aims to Reform

BY SANGWON KIM Delegates of the Security Council focused on the issue of reforming the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) during the lobbying session on the first day of SEOMUN. Many delegates were concerned about the effectiveness of IAEA’s reactions to crises. “After the Japanese nuclear accident in Yokohama, the IAEA were slow to react to the situation, and that concerns me,” said Jason Huh, delegate of USA. “Their lack of coordination led to a spread of radiation that could have been prevented. They should have come in more quickly and have taken action, but they hesitated.” Other delegates believed that gradually reducing nuclear use in general would be the best way to reform the IAEA, because it would reduce the risks of possible future accidents..

“We believe that we need to focus on reducing nuclear proliferation worldwide, and shut down nuclear plants that produce weaponry,” said Heejo Keum, the delegate of Germany. “Nuclear weapons are too risky and uncontrollable.” The delegates in general agreed to diminish the global supply of nuclear warheads for public safety. “Our plan is to work with the NPT [Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] and Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in order to prevent other countries from creating nuclear warheads,” said Aadit Gupta, delegate of Bosnia and Herzegovina. “There is already a convention that works with countries to help them to regulate nuclear power. Many countries are supporting this, however some countries

“ Not only is he informing the advisors in AP for future debates, but he is also truly inspiring the advisors,” said Jenna. “His speech has drawn advisors to voluntary ask questions and voice their concerns. His speech, as the topic is relevant and urgent, is making our advisors to be more aware of the environmental issues.” Mr. Boyce himself stated that he enjoyed speaking in front of the Advisory Panel and wished them the very best of luck when debating on their resolutions. “[The interaction] was fantastic,” said Mr. Boyce. “The advisors were well-prepared and they asked knowledgeable questions. In all the decisions that they make and avenues they follow, I hope they remember the future generation and focus on sustainable design.”

Nuclear Energy

BY LINDA PARK

haven’t been ratified, and our plan is to get these ambiguous countries to actively take part.” There also were divided opinions concerning on whether or not to increase the use of technology on harnessing nuclear power as energy. “I think that nuclear energy in general, both for military and commercial uses, need to be reduced greatly,” said Hee-

jo. “Nuclear energy has proven to be a very dangerous source of energy.” On the other hand, Jae Hyun Park, delegate of Colombia, went against this opinion, stating support for the expansion in the science of nuclear power. “We should request for an increase in funding from the IAEA members,” said Jae Hyun. “The funding would mainly be used to urge countries to continue to array nuclear power safely.

COMMITTEE

Six Party Talks Starts Off Peacefully BY ASHLEY KIM This year, SEOMUN’s Six Party Talks (SPT) started to shift its focus to solving the tensions between each of the six nations instead of those of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), though they are focusing on the relations between the Republic of Korea (ROK) and DPRK in particular. Led by officers David Kim, Christina Hahn and Jennifer Pak, the forum will be discussing the issues of safe internet usage, the halt of military engagement, and a solution to the human rights crisis in the DPRK. “I think that this year’s delegates all have extraordinary talents,” said David. “They’re making relationships with each other quickly, some of them have great speaking skills, and overall they all seem very knowledgeable about all three issues.” John Delury, a professor of international studies at the graduate school at Underwood

International College of Yonsei University, opened the debates with a speech. He stated that though the three issues being debated this year are not typically discussed in the forum, that he thinks they are critical in order to soothe tensions between all six nations. After the speech, delegates commenced in productive debate for the remainder of the first day. BY JULIE CHUNG “We don’t really three leaders of the forum and have a typical lobbying time have a caucus—or an inforsince we’re all collaborating tomal debate. Everything is gogether and submitting clauses ing pretty smoothly, although to create a single resolution,” some delegates seem new to said Jennifer, Deputy Assistant SPT. All of them are really President. “Right now, we just working together well and it’s started our first exclusive sesa very collaborative process.” sion where one delegate from Most of the SPT debate each country follow each of the

Greece defends BY ELIZABETH SONG Ever since its birth as a nation, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) has been embroiled in a name dispute with Greece. This tension has worried Greece about security issues between the two countries, and thus, it rejected FYROM’s application to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). FYROM retaliated by declaring Greece’s action as a violation of Article 11 of the Interim Accord, and the case moved onto the International Court of Justice (ICJ). During the court procedure, both sides provided documents as evidence for their cases. The advocates for

is focused on the DPRK, which is denying the violations of human rights and the military actions it has been accused of by ROK. Nevertheless, the two nations are seeking for a peaceful solution to this predicament. “Most of [the issues] are about keeping the peace between the two nations, but our stance is for anything that won’t provoke another war,” said Sangwook Choi, the delegate of ROK. “Our stance is very peaceful and to try and facilitate more discussion and further Six Party Talks in the future.” During the next few days the delegates will debate the three issues further, and work collaboratively to produce successfully combined resolutions. “The atmosphere has been pretty friendly overall because we’re just getting to know each other,” said June Park, delegate of Russia. “But I think it’s about to get more heated during the actual debates.

VETO Against Fyrom in ICJ

FYROM also called up the delegates of FYROM, Turkey and the United States to serve as witnesses for the court case. The advocates from both Greece and FYROM and the judges asked questions to the witnesses, who revealed their ideas and motivations through their answers. “The witnesses themselves have had quite staunch opinions on this case,” said Soyoon Kim, advocate of Greece. “Most of the time, we believe our cross examination questions have been helpful.” Throughout the debate, Greece maintained that the security issues are too large

to overcome even such a healthy fiscal relationship. Despite its name dispute with Greece, FYROM is maintaining healthy economic relations with its neighbor. Greece found potential in FYROM as a young nation, and invested $900 million in its economy. “Our healthy economic relationship with Greece shows that we will not cause any further security problems by joining NATO,” said Joanne Lee, advocate of FYROM in the ICJ. “Our witnesses explained how FYROM’s economic attributions would definitely further the achievements of NATO.” As the advocates of FYROM

questioned their witnesses, the advocates of Greece countered their inquiries by objecting to their relevancy. For the most part, the chairs of the ICJ agreed with the objections, undermining the arguments of the FYROM advocates. “It definitely hurt FYROM that their evidence was shot down by objections,” said David Lim, ICJ judge. “However, the testimonies by the witnesses were usually useful for FYROM’s case. Several judges and I all saw how FYROM’s economic stability could help NATO. Now we have to see how the advocates of Greece present their case.

POINT OF INTEREST

Delegates encouraged to rely less on laptops during debate BY CELINE HWANG This year, the no-laptop policy will be more strictly enforced throughout the SEOMUN conference. This change has been met with mixed feelings from delegates and officers alike. “I think it will be difficult [to work without laptops] since some delegates need laptops to finish last minute research,” said Judy Oh, adviser of Worldwatch Institute in the Advisory Panel. “Using research for laptops can help delegates gain more knowl-

edge on their issues and be more prepared for their discussions.” Heejae Choi, Secretary General, and Jenny Jang, Deputy Secretary General, implemented this policy once again to encourage delegates to stay focused on the debate instead of being distracted. “This policy is always implemented during SEOMUN and we decided to continue the tradition by implementing it once again,” said Heejae. “Delegates usually find laptops distracting and we didn’t want the quality of the debate to deplete because of this reason.”

Albert Park, Co-President of the Administrative Staff, agreed that preventing delegates from using their laptops could make it more difficult for them to participate in discussions but that at the same time, it could help delegates concentrate more on the discussions that are taking place around them. “It can be effective that laptops are not allowed anymore since delegates will be unable to digress from discussions,” said Albert. “On the other hand, [laptops] can also be productive since delegates can find additional informa-

tion about the issues related to their countries [by using their laptops].” According to Michelle Oh, Co-President of the Technology/Design team, the no-laptop policy will force delegates to be more creative with providing solutions to global issues in their resolutions. “Since delegates cannot use their laptops, they will have to think of their own ideas instead of looking them up on the Internet,” said Michelle. “[Also], they will be less distracted and able to focus more on the discussion itself than [being off-task].”

The Ideal

Delegate/Admin Staff/Chair BY ASHLEY KIM Hundreds of students have gathered to participate in this year’s SEOMUN conference, resulting in a great variety of participants from different grades, different schools and different countries. But of these myriad delegates, chairs and administrative staff members, who stands out? What makes someone the perfect candidate for each position?

PHOTO BY LINDA HEEYOUNG PARK

“The ideal chair is someone who doesn’t just rule the conference by themselves, but who works to help the delegates. Personally, I think a chair should get to know the delegates on a more personal level as well. And although they have to command the attention of the delegates and oversee the conference effectively, I don’t think it has to rigidly follow the regulations at all times. I think the best chairs are able to effectively manage the conference with wit and humor.” -David Kim, President of Six Party Talks

PHOTO BY LINDA HEEYOUNG PARK

“The ideal admin staff should be quick, efficient, and unafraid of long hours of continued physical labor. The administrative staff member should be someone who is able to pass notes between the delegates with respect while keeping with the integrity of the conference at the front of their mind. I think that the ideal administrative staff member should be someone who has a high level of interest in MUN and in the issues being debated during the discussions.” -Jenny Jang, Deputy Secretary General

PHOTO BY LINDA HEEYOUNG PARK

“I think that the ideal delegate is eloquent and is able to make very persuasive speeches. I think that the most convincing delegates tend to be extremely charismatic. But at the same time , their speeches shouldn’t be all rhetoric and empty metaphors that are meaningless. In order for a delegate to be a truly great communicator they have to have substance in their speeches and they should have concrete facts and logical arguments behind all of their persuasion.” -Heejae Choi, Secretary General

IN-ZONE

CARTOON BY LINDA HEEYOUNG PARK

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