From August 5th through 10th, Yonsei University’s Leadership Center, directed by Professor Jung Sung-hwa, took part in the most recent “Yonsei-Keio-Rikkyo-Fudan” (YKRF) Leadership Forum, which was held in Japan at Rikkyo University’s Ikebukuro and Niiza Campuses.
The forum was established in 2002—the same year Korea and Japan co-hosted the FIFA World Cup—following an agreement between the presidents of Yonsei, Keio, and Rikkyo Universities.  China’s Fudan University then joined the forum in 2006. The YKRF Leadership Forum strives to foster mutual understanding on international issues in Northeast Asia among students from Korea, China, and Japan.  Along with providing a venue for considering multiple perspectives on important regional issues, the YKRF Leadership Forum seeks to develop leadership skills, while giving participating students the opportunity to create long-lasting networks.
This year’s forum welcomed forty students from Korea, China and Japan, and its theme was “Mutual Understanding—Finding Vision as the Global Leader.”  During the forum, students attended lectures given by Professor Takahara (Tokyo University), Professor Hitoshi Mitsuhashi (Keio University), and Professor Chihiru Dakenaka (Rikkyo University).  In addition to the lectures, which focused on the importance of understanding sociocultural differences in Northeast Asia, as well as militarism and increasing military budgets in the region, students also participated in vigorous discussion sessions.