The Institute of East and West Studies Leadership Center, directed by Professor Lee Jung-hoon, hosted the 2014 Yonsei Model United Nations Conference January 11-13 in Yonhi Hall and Widang Hall.  A total of 180 high school and middle school students representing 110 different schools took part, including students from the Chadwick International School in Songdo and several from China, the Philippines, and the U.S.  At the conference, students discussed and debated issues related to international relations and politics, economics, the environment, and society and culture.
 Supervised by the Yonsei Delegation for Model United Nations (YDMUN), the theme of this year’s conference was “The New Crossover: Across the Divide.”  Following UN General Assembly protocols for discussion and debate, the participants were assigned countries and divided into six different groups:  General Assembly 1, General Assembly 2 (for middle school students), the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Security Council (SC), and the League of Arab States (LAS).
 The councils and assemblies conducted meetings concerning such specific issues as North Korea’s nuclear program, nuclear reactors, biochemical weapons, child labor, political refugees, and renewable energy.  At each of the meetings, a resolution was drafted that reflected the various viewpoints expressed in the discussions.  Many students also participated as members of the UN News Service, monitoring meetings and composing press releases in the form of newsletters.  There were a number of other activities at the conference, including seminars and lectures given by academics and international relations experts, a Yonsei campus tour, and a friendship and networking gala held in Alumni Hall on the final evening. 
 The Yonsei Model United Nations Conference is an annual event designed to promote interest in international relations, politics, and diplomacy among high school and middle school students.  Held every winter since 2008, this year’s conference was sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Seoul Waterworks Office.