Seoulite XX issue 1

SEOULITE XX FEATURE: stopping gun violence in america

2017 THEME: Global Populism and National Identity ISSUE 1 November 11 2017

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SEOULITE 2017 STAFF

Editors-in-Chief

Advisor

Marie Park, Alice Lee

David Coleman

Managing Editor

Reporters

Justin Chang

Sarah Jung, Dawn Kim, Yejune Park, Fiona Cho, Lyme Cho, Sia Cho, Eric Hwang (9), Alice Lee (10), Kate Lee, Samuel Oh, Min Chiang, Steven Chung, Eric Hwang (10), Wendy Kang, Emly Oh, Hannah Yoo

Assistant Editor Kirsten Huh Layout Editor Jiwon Chung Photo Editor Andrew Lee

Layout Artists Jaywon Yi, Andrew Kim, Catherine Cho, Eugene Song, Eddie Hahm, Erin Lee, Seoyun Yoo, Christine Lee Photographers Joanne Lee, Yujin Lim, Katie Ahn, Brian Chun, Anna Ganus, Allyson Kim, Angela Ahn, Eileen Kwon, Yunseo Jung

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Letter from the

editors Hello delegates,

We are the editors of Seoulite, the official press publication of SEOMUN. We are honored to serve delegates, chairs, advisers, administrative staff members, directors, and other participants throughout the SEOMUN conference.

It is our utmost hope that all delegates have fruitful debates on various worldly topics and that they learn something new from this conference that they had previously been unaware of.

Over the next three days, our team of reporters, layout artists, and photographers will be creating a total of four issues of Seoulite. We will not only document the heated debates and potential remedies to global crises, but also capture the new friendships that were formed throughout this conference.

We would like to ask the delegates and chairs for two things: First, please pick up our carefully made issues every day and read through the pages--we promise to fill our issues with interest content ranging from migrant crises to nuclear proliferation along with a couple pages of pure, simple entertainment.

Second, when a press member approaches you for an interview, please cooperate--feel free to offer staff members your uncensored and personal opinions.

We wish all delegates the best of luck-- Happy SEOMUN XX! Editors in Chief Marie Park, Alice Lee

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Blast from the Past

by Kirsten Huh

Sexual harassment against women has long been a prevalent issue in the US. However, this problem hit the news just recently as multiple celebrities revealed that prominent men had taken advantage of them. As numerous cases of sexual abuse are being exposed through the media, increasing numbers of people are striving to bring an end to this matter.

Starting with the Weinstein scandal, the media disclosed various shocking cases of sexual harassment women had experienced.

On Sept. 5, Harvey Weinstein, a 65-year-old Hollywood director, was accused of sexually abusing not one, but eighty women, over the course of 30 years, according to Vox, an American news and opinion website.

Weinstein had taken advantage of multiple women, ranging from actresses to models, by using his status as a prominent director. As a result, Weinstein was fired from the company he had co-founded with his brother in the following month.

Following the exposure of Weinstein’s sexual misconduct were accusations made against several notable American celebrities, ranging from well-known actors to directors.

Specifically, screenwriter and film director James Toback, was put on the spotlight, as more than 300 women accused him of advancing on them and forcing them to carry

out inappropriate actions. Toback, similar to Weinstein, had been sexually abusing women for decades, and yet, he too had been exposed of his wrongdoing only recently.

In response to the horrifying accounts of sexual abuse, movements to tackle the issue have arisen: the #MeToo and the #MyJobShouldNotIncludeAbuse movements. Women are no longer keeping the cases to themselves; they are speaking out and spreading word of the issue. The #MeToo movement was initiated by actress Alyssa Milano, and she encouraged women who had been sexually harassed to include #MeToo in their tweet.

In just 24 hours, 500,000 people had tweeted using the hashtag, and the movement had expanded to other social networks sites including Facebook and Instagram. Similarly, the #MyJobShouldNotIncludeAbuse movement by model Cameron Russell supported women to speak up on the cases of sexual misconduct they experienced. This campaign too gained immeasurable support as multiple women shared their devastating stories.

The problem of sexual abuse has been continuing in the US for the past few decades.

However long such cases of sexual harassment have remained covered, it is essential to set things right starting now—these accounts must not stay covered any longer.

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FAUX NEWS: US passes law mandating the arming of every household

by Justin Chang

Following the recent Texas church massacre, the US Congress realized the need for all families to be armed for safety. With the efficacy of gun control laws being put into question everyday by mass shootings throughout the nation, Congress decided to take a novel approach to this prevalent issue.

Similar to President Donald Trump’s notion of achieving “peace through strength,” Congress realized that anti-gun laws were not the solving the issue of gun violence but aggravating it.

“What’s the best way to stop a person with a gun?” said Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the House. “It’s not by taking their guns away, it’s by giving a gun to the good.”

The law, which strengthens the letter of the 2nd Amendment, not only declares the possession of firearms a right, it also requires a firearm to be present in every household and on the person of anyone walking around in public. This ensures that anyone and everyone have the capability of retaliating to a shooting. If an individual is caught without a firearm on his or her person, he or she will face severe punishment.

“We the people have the freedom to be safe in and outside of our homes,” said Senator Ted Cruz. “We are a democratic nation with democratic ideals, and the foundation of democracy is to be free. But how can we be free when we know that there are the devil’s children, criminals and murderers, walking around amongst us? Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom is under attack. The only way for we as Americans can guarantee the right to live safely and peacefully is through killing these barbarians and putting display America’s strength and America’s resolve.”

In addition, many families felt the need to beginning gun training starting from the age of 5. This ensured that the children are safe and protected.

“We want our children starting young,” said Tammy White, a mother of 5. “By the time they are in their teens, they need to be able-bodied and combat-ready so that our peaceful household can be protected.”

Taking this novel approach to peace to a next level, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley spoke in front of the UNHRC, proposing that the right to bear arms be made a human right. The UN promptly declared the possession of firearms a human right. Ambassador Haley, when questioned about the logics of giving criminals easy access to weapons, responded with fiery rhetoric.

“The sacrifice of the few is necessary to guarantee the safety of the many,” Ambassador Haley said.

“If a gunman opens fire on peace loving civilians, they will retaliate with force and shoot the assailant dead. Even if a few innocent people are caught in the crossfire and die, at least the gunman is subdued. This prevents anyone else from dying, which therefore guarantees the safety of Americans.”

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GA1 experiences an ardent clash for compromise

by Samuel Oh

On the first day of conference, delegates of General Assembly I (GA I) presented their resolutions to others and lobbied to fine-tune them and gain more votes. Splitting into groups, delegates focused on broad, yet critical global crises, such as the build-up of public debt within the EU, developed countries facing the migrant crisis, and the spread of HIV/AIDS in the Central African region.

An overwhelming number of delegates were part of the group focusing on proposing resolutions combating the spread of HIV/AIDS in the Central African region. Some delegates focused on promoting research and development to find preventive measures for HIV/AIDS. “It is essential to fund research-affiliated nongovernmental organizations(NGO) and medical institutions to accelerate the path towards finding an effective cure for eradicating HIV/AIDS,” said Lynn Lee, delegate of China. “It is also necessary to encourage the collaboration of research-based organizations regarding their data to increase the efficiency of research.

Other delegates emphasized that urging nations to actively engage in and prioritize preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS was a prerequisite, highlighting the need for nations to fully dedicate themselves to the issue by providing financial support to relevant NGOs focusing on aiding HIV/AIDS patients. They pointed out

how the NGOs would be able to provide cheaper treatments for HIV/AIDS and establish crucial medical centers.

“Financial assistance will allow NGOs to recommend governments the use of tax incentives to encourage drugs companies to reduce treatment prices,” said Ethan Kim, delegate of Namibia. “Furthermore, they can help create medical centers aiding with the testing and treatment of patients, especially pregnant women to prevent transmissions of HIV/AIDS to children.”

However, the majority of the delegates stressed raising public awareness regarding the dangers, causes, symptoms, and methods of prevention HIV/AIDS, spanning from PSAs and school curriculum to public education. Delegates proposed that the distribution of PSAs, the implementation of a mandatory unit in the school curriculum involved with the issue, and making public classes that would teach citizens about the issue available would assist significantly in raising awareness.

“The distribution of PSAs will help reduce public stigma regarding HIV/AIDS, which will subsequently end discrimination and negative attitudes through TV advertisements, pamphlets, flyers, and billboard assignments,” said Hahn Kang, delegate of DPRK. “Furthermore, making public classes available everywhere will help create awareness on the consequences of unprotected sexual intercourse and all its related activities, the importance of regular blood tests, the dangerous effect of syringe sharing, and the importance of sterilization.”

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HRC affirms significance of Universal Health Coverage

by Emily Oh Universal Health Coverage (UHC) has been a prominent agenda for the United Nations following its official recognition by the UN resolution on Foreign Policy and Global Health throughout the course of the recent years. Despite the strong recognition and commitment, the agenda has been actively receiving, advancements have not been efficacious in congregating the international community to strive toward the same cause. Different circumstances including financial restrictions, political conflicts, social disorder, and demographics are just a few of the various obstacles the UHC faces. Delegates of the GA2 gathered to discuss the importance of the UHC as well as new potential approaches to further advance and improve this agenda.

Sohit Gatiganti, delegate of the Republic of Turkey, emphasized the detrimental effects alongside results of the lack of Universal Health Care initiatives in certain nations. Sohit further expanded on the importance of and encouraged the implementation of Universal Health Care in nations lacking such initiatives.

“Every year, millions of individuals die due to the lack of healthcare,” Sohit said. “Mothers die during childbirth, kids do not and cannot receive necessary vaccinations, and the elderly are not receiving health care. Health care is not just another commodity. It is not a gift to be rationed on the ability to pay. It is time to make universal

health care a national priority. We must recognize that healthcare is not a want. It is a basic human right. The Republic of Turkey recently implemented a universal health care system in which all citizens are granted medical treatment, free of charge, in all government hospitals.”

Other delegates, alike Sohit Gatiganti, were highly concerned about the issue of provision of universal health care as well as the fruitless advancements due to various factors and proposed possible ways to approach and resolve the issue at hand.

“The advancements of UHC has not been effective in gathering the international community due to the lack of medical resources, financial regulations, and political conflicts,” said Jenny Park, delegate of Libya.

“The delegate believes healthcare can be advanced if the international community addresses the issue with the effort to achieve the goals of the UHC. In the past, the delegate’s nation has had an efficient health system but is now in extreme danger. Hospitals are struggling due to the lack of experienced doctors and medical resources. The support from the MSF and other organizations have helped the delegate’s country to the privilege of the proper training sessions of medical staff and donation of medical drugs to hospitals.”

Delegates will continue to discuss on possible approaches alongside resolutions in order to solve the issue at hand throughout the course of the next two days.

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Security council opens up a new experience

by Hannah Yoo

On the first day of SEOMUN, the Security Council (SC) held a discussion about the situation in the Gaza Strip. During the recent years, the Gaza Strip has been causing a quarrel between Egypt, Israel, and Palestine and is searching for a solution. Although many delegates were not acquainted to one another, they were eager to work together to consolidate a resolution that represents their unified viewpoint. Moreover, the delegates looked forward to positively affect other the locations in conflict, Gaza Strip, Mali, and Kashmir by coming up with an effective resolution.

While delegates started the conference smoothly, other delegates faced more difficulties in solidifying a resolution. Despite the challenges, the delegates’ positive mindsets and perseverance helped them overcome the situation. Also, their previous experience in other MUN conferences helped the delegates to prevent anxiousness and focus more to the conference.

“I am excited to argue on the resolutions that we make and right now we are making a resolution from scratch,” said Olena Vasyltsova, the delegate of Uruguay. “As we worked, something went wrong but after working on that I am looking forward to use our resolution.”

Although the conference flowed smoothly, a large amount of delegates were new to this committee.

The inexperienced delegates faced a different style

and system before. This was an opportunity for the delegates to creating a stronger bond in order to successfully state their resolution.

“It is my first time to be in a Security Council,” said Millennia, “The system, the working style, the main point of resolution, and how it functions are totally different. I need to learn from the beginning and work as a new delegation.”

During the lobbying session, the chairs aided the delegates put in a lot of effort, coming up with the most effective and powerful resolution. In addition, the chairs gave feedback and suggestions to contribute to the resolution that the delegates come up with on the situations in Gaza, Mali, and Kashmir. The previous SEOMUN conferences were rated highly and led to high expectations among the chairs.

“Every year the juniors of my school go to SEOMUN and they speak really highly so well organized and the quality of conferences,” said Rohan Jasani, the assistant president of SC, “My expectation is pretty high and so far it is very good.”

The SC conference was full with vibrant delegates eager to experience and face a challenge that would support the individuals to becoming a better speaker.

In the end, the majority of the delegates felt positive that this would create new relationships and improve the skills to devising a compelling resolution.

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ECOSOC TOUCHES UPON THE GRAVITY OF TERRORISM IN RESPONSE TO RAPID GLOBALIZATION

by Yejune Park

After the opening ceremony ended, delegates of ECOSOC bustled into their respective conference rooms. The chairs declared the beginning of the session, and delegates stepped up to the podium to deliver their opening speeches on three topics: maintaining the global economy in the face of terrorism, addressing the exploitation of migrant workers in the Middle East, reserving religion and national cultures in response to rapid globalization.

From the three themes the committee aimed to tackle, the topic of maintaining global economy in the face of terrorism was debated first.

“Since the main theme of this MUN conference has to do with national populism, we thought that it was the main reason as to why terrorism increases and tried to connect this urgent issue to economic impacts that affect the social atmosphere,” said Boah Kim, President of ECOSOC. “As to the other topics, labor exploitation in the Middle East has always been a problem we wanted to raise our concern on. National population and terrorism likewise has an impact on the national heritage of our social agenda.”

As shown in the SEOMUN XX research report, during the past 35 years, there were more than 20,000 terrorist incidents in countries like the UK and the Philippines. In response to these recent attacks, the peril of terrorism has risen up to the international policy agenda. An increasing number of terrorist incidents may indicate increased political instability in a country, which have a negative impact on economic growth in terms of investment and savings.

If terrorism persists, economic costs can be permanent.

“Nowadays, people are starting to hide behind the idea of prejudice and giving a social interpretation of marginalized groups,” said Jun Won Hwang, delegate of Germany. “The effect of this is that it reduces a country’s economy and a good example is Brexit. Furthermore, terrorist groups are becoming more developed, as they have better access to weapons, which can cause destruction. Countries

may amend these destructions as a result of a lack of funding for other important economic sectors.”

In addition to underscoring the gravity of increasing terrorist attacks and its effects on terrorism, Jun Won Hwang pointed out the possible solutions he and his fellow delegates could approach. However, the delegate of USA would play a much bigger role as the majority of terrorist attacks happen in the United States.

“In order to tackle the issue of terrorism and decrease its effects on the global economy, we came up with a variety of solutions,” said Iris Choi, delegate of USA. “We aim to increase the source of income, follow the UN general Assembly’ counter terrorism strategy, use the federal management agency to secure protocols, and maintain transparency with possible terrorists threats to prevent future terrorist attacks from occurring.”

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ECOSOC II addresses mitigating impending effects of global warming

by Alice Lee

to renewable ones. We especially have to focus on lowering the effects of carbon emissions, which can be achieved by transforming carbon-burning factories into renewable, sustainable factories.

As the head of countries in the council, Finland is willing to compel other countries to convert energy sources into renewable energy respective to each country’s naturally available resources.”

Meanwhile, some delegates were more concerned with the history surrounding the issue of global warming. Some focused primarily on the Paris Agreement, signed by countries that pledged to contribute to the reduction of the emission of carbon dioxide gas.

On the first day of conference, the ECOSOC II discussed the issue of developing initiatives to mitigate impending effects of global warming.

The majority of the proposed resolutions focused on reducing the emission of greenhouse gases and finding a balance between differing opinions of countries.

“I think the global warming issue is the most important issue out of the three topics, since the other topics would be irrelevant if we cannot resolve the preeminent danger of climate change,” said Bharat Sachdev, delegate of Ireland. “Several solutions to this issue include improving public transportation, limiting greenhouse gas emissions, and planting more trees to reduce to emission of carbon dioxide gas.”

Other delegates involved in the conversation shared similar views, but proposed differing solutions to resolve the issue. Specifically, these delegates suggested other methods of reducing carbon dioxide, emphasizing practical solutions respective to each country’s needs and natural resources.

“We realize that the reason for global warming is the emission of carbon dioxide,” said Seoyoon Kim, delegate of Somalia. “In our country, there are annual droughts that result in the unfortunate death of animals and people due to starvation. We are focusing on the controversy surrounding the Paris Agreement. For instance, the United States did not adhere to this agreement, stating that it was ineffective and irrelevant for their country.

We are looking forward to making amendments of the agreement or drafting a new policy or protocol that satisfies the differing opinions of countries.”

Although these delegates differed in specific approaches to resolve the issue of global warming, they voiced their agreement on broader aspects, such as reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Delegates redirected their focus to draft a resolution that can accommodate the various challenges that the countries in the committee face.

“Finland is one of the countries where climate is rising rapidly,” said Emily Allen, delegate of Finland. “It is necessary that we draft sustainable solutions to convert nonrenewable energy sources

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Advisory Panel Battles Religious extremism by: Lyme Cho

On the first day of the conference, the Advisory Panel focused its attention on the problem of religious extremism.

The advisors decided to approach this issue by analyzing the possible sources of Islamophobia, which is hostility and fear towards Islam and Muslims in general, and coming up with solutions to raise awareness. International attention has created a stereotype of Muslims as hostile, when only a minority of the Muslim populace causes much of the actual conflict in question.

Some advisors pointed out the lack of awareness on the issue that silently contributes to its growing oblivion. They also emphasized the importance of educating those unknowledgeable about the issue and using renowned people to draw attention. By holding fruitful discussions, the advisors came to a consensus that social media could be used to resolve the problem. Social media could spread correct information on these attacks that aggravate religious extremism, tending to both sides of the story.

“People have the obligation to understand the problematic issue currently affecting the world,” said Angela Whang, advisor of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). “I believe this lack of attention could be resolved by two ways. First, the new generation should be educated by schooling and famous figures should make frequent speeches on the issue of religious extremism and its devastating impacts. Second, social media should use its influential feature to be proactive in raising awareness.”

Other advisors pointed out necessary defense for unpredictable attacks to reduce harm and impact. They were more overtaken by the actual impact of the attacks, being an advisor of a victim country that lost several civilians, and focused on the importance of ready armament.

“Religious extremism is a serious issue in the west, especially as major victims of terrorism and massacres,” said Heechan Lee, advisor of Germany. “Germany has faced attacks by ISIS and, in the process, innocent German citizens have been harmed. I believe education should be used to raise awareness and Muslim border control should be enforced to anticipate future attacks should they happen.”

Preparation for anticipated future attacks was a strong resolution among the advisors and proved the diverse approaches towards the motion. However, other advisors claimed that there were different ways to settle the dominant challenge of religious extremism.

“As much as raising awareness is important, I believe there is another way to solve the problems surrounding religious extremism,” said Rabbit Peng, advisor of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). “It would prove very effective to eliminate wide range religious associations which have very different standards of devotion to their deity, such as ISIS, a religious group who pursue their values in a harmful way.”

Overall, the Advisory Panel came up with a unified resolution of raising awareness and eliminating mass religious groups. They also considered creating a joint database with UN nations and governmental branches related to counter terrorism.

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Thr eatening severity of gun violence increases tension

by Kate Lee

As the societal trend skewed toward supporting the second amendment over recent decades, the severity of gun violence rose to unprecedented levels in the US. In fact, according to The Guardian, the frequency of mass gun shootings has escalated greatly from 33,000 to 100,000 people every year in only 20 years. With a lack of gun control, the US is falling rapidly into severe violence, leading to immense fear among the people.

“It is definitely hard to pinpoint a single cause for outbreaks of gun violence; in fact, it is even harder to describe it in such few statements,” said Chris Lee, the delegate of the Russian Federation. “However, because gun violence is usually a result of the wrong people having the wrong instrument, efforts should be made to limit the careless use of weapons that could eventually lead to violence.”

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With the unstoppable rise of gun violence in the US, efforts to ease such threats are becoming less effective.

Nevertheless, it is important for the US to address the issue of mass shootings to reduce lives lost and increase overall security.

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“Previous attempts to ease mass shootings were not effective because there is not enough trust between people,” said Katie Lee, Deputy Assistant President of the Disarmament Commission. “In other words, there is always a inherent mistrust between people that gives them constant fear. In this case, guns always give people a feeling of safety from other people, thus making it more difficult to lessen the use of guns when it gives people protection.”

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Gun violence, being one of the most prevalent topics discussed in America, poses a greater threat than ever to the citizens of America. Especially after the Los Angeles shooting that killed or injured more than 500 civilians and the Texas mass shooting that killed over 20 children, exceptional fear regarding gun violence is constantly increasing.

Such incidents of mass shootings not only cause more anxiety among citizens, but are also responsible for the considerable loss of lives every year.

In order to lessen the increasing number of deaths and fear in America due to gun violence, actions to lessen the frequency of mass shootings would help considerably.

However, although actions to stop the increase of gun violence in the US were attempted numerous times by setting up sensible gun control laws or establishing a culture of gun safety, none of these methods were effective enough to thwart the increase of mass killings. In other words, despite efforts to save more lives by promoting gun safety, the nation merely faced even more accounts of mass shootings.

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“The United States recently had a gun shooting in Texas, which obviously is a reminder to American people that gun violence is a very serious threat in the community and that guns are a viable pathway for individuals to commit mass murder,” said Jeffrey Ling, delegate of the US. "In other words, the issue of gun violence is not only very timely, but also rising in its severity.”

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Gun Control: Prevention or intervention?

by Dawn Kim

tions regarding gun control,” said Jeong Moon, delegate of the United States of America of the Disarmament Commission. “This is in part due to the fact that President Trump continues to believe that this is an issue of mental health, and that these [shooters] are deranged. However, the reason why casualties are going up is due to the accessibility of guns in the first place.”

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Five years before in a different universe, these words would have been as meaningless as the cheese and pork on a grocery list. In 2017, they have come to symbolize a series of homicides, each with a near exponential growth of casualties. According to a mass shooting database corroborated by Mother Jones, the United States has seen a total of 60 mass shootings with casualties ranging from three fatalities to 58 fatalities and 547 injuries from 2012 to 2017. However, other than a thread of tweets and a visit to the city of Las Vegas, mass shootings in 2017 have seen little political response from the Trump administration.

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This is not to say that the US government has not taken control of the issue. Past legislative efforts have included efforts to prevent individuals on the Terrorist Watch List from obtaining weapons and to expand available data for background checks required to purchase firarms. These actions are in accordance to a public call of strengthening gun sale laws, which comprised of 55 percent of participants in a 2015 Gallup poll.

“As of the Obama administration, regulations have been in place to make it harder to obtain a weapon anonymously,” said Sangmi Park, delegate of the United States of America of General Assembly II. “In addition, the House of Representatives recently agreed on regulations that prevent people from the no-fly list from purchasing weapons.”

Furthermore, to legislative control, the government is currently backing projects to protect but also attribute gun users. So-called “smart” guns feature fingerprint recognition and radio-frequency identification that limits the gun’s abilities to a single user in an effort to prevent gun trafficking.

“Increasing regulations does not necessarily mean less threats,” Sangmi said. “In the future, the use of gun regulation can be regulated through the use of biometrics. With future technology, gun identification will become easier, simplier, and less bureaucratic, thus helping us identify criminals better.”

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Historical Security Council spearheads peace and equality

by Dawn Kim

During lobbying, delegates sought to collaborate with one another in order to create insightful solutions for historical diplomatic conflicts. The Historical Security Council (HSC) addressed three main contentions: The Congo’s independence from Belgium, Soviet Union intervention in Hungary, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Throughout lobbying, delegates emphasized the need to establish social and political peace within the nations in focus.

A portion of the delegates focused on the crisis in the Congo.

Following the Congo’s liberation of colonization by Belgium on June 30, 1960, a period of political and economic chaos ensued.

Initially, the Congo was assisted by the USSR, which helped establish two distinct governments. However, a coup led by then-military official Mobutu Sese Seko, turned the the nation into a battleground for ongoing tensions between the Soviet Union and the United Nations.

“The United States’ interference is a complete threat to sovereignty, and is causing the very creation of Congo to be rooted in instability,” said Mateus Norton, delegate of the Soviet Union. “The Soviet Union supports the idea of extraditing Seko to the Soviet Union to answer for his war crimes. The Soviet Union advocates equality and unity to make sure that [countries] are protected in their constitutions and that policies reflect these ideas.”

Other delegates addressed the USSR’s presence in Hungary, aiming to diminish the Soviet Union’s pro-communist regimes. Despite the removal of Mátyás Rákosi in 1956 following Nikita Khrushchev’s denunciation of Stalin, the continued influence of the USSR and its enforcement of the secret police, religious persecution, and exportation of Hungarian goods to Russia fueled widespread global criticism.

“That the Hungarians are lacking the basic necessities of a human being makes this issue urgent,” said Jason Whang, delegate of the United States of America. “ The delegates collaboratively agreed that the USSR has done wrong, and are looking for a peaceful solution where the Hungarians are granted self-determination and equal access to their own government. By merging resolutions, we aim to create a peaceful world with all aspects of the issue.”

Still other delegates sought to resolve the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The United Nations’ adoption of Resolution 181, detailing the plans of a Mandate Palestine, a civil war occurred between the Arabs and Israelis. Since the onset of the war in the mid-20th century, thousands of casualties have been reported.

“The Israeli state has often been criticized and even demonized for actions against the Palestinians,” said Charlie Kong, delegate of Israel. “However, we have to consider the impetus behind the creation of Israel. This is not a simple, one-sided issue, but one of our common humanity, of how we can work together as a world to make up for the centuries of persecution against the Jewish.”

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DC launches debate for global peace

by Sia Cho

With nuclear proliferation emerging as a critical threat to the security of the international community, the Disarmament Commission (DC) initiated the discussion for global peace and security. Focusing on the international coalition to reach a consensus between both non-nuclear and nuclear states, delegates worked to collaborate on measures against the use of weapons designed for large-scale armed conflicts. Throughout the three-hour lobbying session, diverse opinions were assembled to resolve the crises of nuclear proliferation and the unilateral use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) across the globe.

“Regarding the prevention and development of nuclear weapons in the Middle East, Russia urges for the creation of a Middle Eastern division under the IAEA Department of Safeguards to carry out reengineered nonproliferation efforts,” said Chris Lee, delegate of Russia. “Such measures would include hosting international talks between Israel, Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the European Union to discuss the creation of Weapons of Mass Destruction Free Zones (WMDFZ) in the Middle East.”

“By requesting all nations to further reinforce border control within the Middle East to prevent the transfer of weapons, clause three will prevent radical forces from getting hold of nuclear technology,” said Harry Park, delegate of International Atomic Energy Agency. “With these security systems and IEA protection, along with UN support, nations will be able to strengthen the guard for the citizens’ safety as well as global peace.”

Other delegates expressed their consent for the main points of the resolution, affirming the importance of ratifying and abiding by the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT). With the recent nuclear domino effect taking place in the Middle East, delegates also expressed their concerns on the potential threat of terrorists on nuclear facilities.

Meanwhile, other delegates discussed solutions to prevent the unilateral use of unmanned aerial vehicles. The focal points of the discussion revolved around the creation of drone treaties and the halt of drone usage in peacekeeping operations. Confirming the need for international drone treaties and humanitarian aid in areas targeted by drones, the delegates worked to develop clauses ensuring appropriate drone usage in the nations.

“The pervasive appearance of drones, as well as their commercialization, is both a threat and a gift of development that marks this generation,” said Alex Jallet, delegate of Indonesia. “However, though these drones have the potential to be weaponized by terrorist groups, the delegate believes that they are also necessary in peacekeeping operations. Eventually, with advanced technology, peacekeeping robots will work alongside humans as autonomous systems to fight against existing forces, which will alleviate the current issue regarding the loss of life.”

With every delegate contributing to a fruitful discussion on the three main topics, the lobbying session marked the beginning of a journey towards international peace and security.

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HRC Tackles the issue of gender discrimination

by Wendy Kang

Among the diverse topics HRC delegates aimed to discuss, the most favored theme, as delegates reported, was the issue of gender equality.

Gender inequality has always been an important issue for the HRC as it pertains to the fundamental human right to equality. Although progress has been made towards combatting gender inequality, there still exists a bias against women. One of the most arduous problems at hand, gender discrimination is an issue of utmost priority for the delegates.

“The problem with gender inequality is that the partisan attitude towards women is already deeply rooted within many existing cultures”, said Aileen Kim, delegate of Ethiopia. “A mere 21 percent of women in Afghanistan are able to receive a primary level of education. Women are forced to earn a living through manual labor, with 80 percent of jobs in agriculture being occupied by women. Afghanistan has gone through rapid development with success being shown by a 20 percent increase in women’s educational opportunities. This topic should be of top priority” Other delegates were quick on their feet to agree with the delegate of Ethiopia. Gender inequality, they asserted, was an issue of basic human rights that should immediately be tackled immediately.

“With the female sector of the Japanese workforce

rapidly shrinking and progressively becoming more male-dominated, the issue of gender discrimination cannot be ignored,” said Hyunjoo Damion Jeong, delegate of Japan. “Focusing on female empowerment should be the issue at hand as it can lead to future socioeconomic health and harmony.”

Many delegates focused on the progress ensued by individual nations to combat gender inequality. With the given fact that all nations are of different levels of industrialization and economic capacity, delegations presented a multitude of ways that their countries have attempted to solve gender discrimination.

“Rape, assault, and inequality are just a few of the plethora of problems that worsen the situation at hand,” said Eugenie Ahn, delegate of Mexico. “Recent progress on Mexico’s civil code has greatly ameliorated conditions in Mexico. This delegate believes that improving educational standards for women should be a top priority when thinking of the longterm effects of standardized education.”

With the majority of nations in the UNHRC having only regressive gender equality policies, it was not a surprise that the topic of eliminating gender discrimination is one of urgent nature. Throughout the course of the next few days, delegates are looking forward to having fruitful debates on an issue that has been problematic for over hundreds of years.

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Humanitarian Aid in Refugee Camps

by Min Chiang

The delegates of newly formed United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) commenced this year’s SEOMUN conference by sharing their stances on the ongoing refugee crisis. One of the issues that have been discussed at length during opening speeches and lobbying sessions is “ensuring humanitarian aid within refugee camps.”

After the committee divided into groups based on similar viewpoints, Alexis Lee, delegate of Sweden, mentioned the significance of utilizing new organizations. She mentioned the Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention (JCRP), which provides refugees with more adequate health care management. Other delegates shared Alexis’s viewpoint.

“We need to utilize new organizations, such as JCRP to help improve the conditions of the refugees,” said Alexis. “Problems such as widespread diseases, human trafficking, and exposure to rape exist within the camps.

As a response, Dennis Liao, delegate of Japan, questioned the efficiency of the suggested solution, asking if the delegate of Austria is simply abandoning the currently existing refugee camps.

“The international community is still obligated to improve the existing refugee camps, but should focus more on the newly built camps to ensure safety and security for the new refugees,” Jin Ah said.

Afterward, Alexis claimed that creating assistants to monitor the donations and distribute funds and support equally among countries should standardize the transparency of organizations. She highlighted that it is also crucial for there to be set a specific measure on what aid is being distributed, since only host countries are currently being burdened by corruption and misuse of the donations.

“I believe that much has been done in providing humanitarian aid, but a major issue is that the money that various organizations and countries have donated are inadequately organized and dispersed; reorganization would be a key issue,” Dennis said.

Delegates initiated discussions on planning various methods to ensure transparency within international organizations based on the status quo. Additionally, they shared their stances on improving refugee camps and the use of humanitarian aid for the welfare of the refugees. The delegates are cooperating to form practical solutions for the consequential damages of the ongoing refugee crisis.

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A CLASH WITHIN ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION

by Eric Hwang

On the first day of SEOMUN XX, delegates of the Environmental Commission called for full dedication, participation, and cooperation. However, a conflict that arose from the group of delegates discussing how to develop climate insurance solutions created an obstacle in accomplishing this collaboration.

During lobbying time, delegates divided into three groups, in which they discussed the following issues: developing climate insurance solutions, reaching an international consensus on radioactive waste disposal, and preventing environmental destruction on indigenous lands. The delegates that were discussing how to develop climate insurance solutions decided to present their resolutions clause-by-clause in order to brainstorm ideas and develop a final resolution.

“We need to spread awareness of global warming and its consequences, and establish treaties and other reassuring agreements in order to pronounce the motivation of developing climate insurance solutions,” said Conner Morgan, delegate of Japan.

“Additionally, this delegate stresses the need to further develop more eco-friendly organizations and other environment consuming institutions.”

However, the delegates found a flaw with the resolution and proposed questions regarding the specific aspects of the resolution. Moreover, they believed that, although the resolution did focus on global warming, it did not centralize on the specific ways of developing climate insurance solutions.

“This delegate is concerned of the lack of specificity within the delegate of Japan’s resolution,” said Ryan Jang, delegate of Sweden. “Furthermore, the delegate questions the need for more eco-friendly organizations, as he believes that it is unnecessary due to the numerous eco-friendly organizations that already exist. Lastly, he suggests a bigger emphasis on incentives rather than punishments, in order to maximize cooperation of all countries.”

On the other hand, Brian Ham, delegate of Netherlands, proposed a different viewpoint.

He emphasized that it is critical to acknowledge that climate disasters would be getting worse despite the best efforts, and that it is essential to stay realistic and take care of citizens who will be experiencing these catastrophes.

“There are a lot of efforts currently to stop the effects of climate change, such as the Paris Agreement, but whether we like it or not, these climate change induced disasters will be getting worse in the future,” Brian said. “It is important to protect the vulnerable citizens whose property is not properly insured. This is where developed nations that are mostly responsible for global warming need to step in.”

Through an extensive process of debate, the delegates reached a consensus that the delegate of Netherlands should be the main-submitter of the resolution, as he tackled the direct problem given at hand. Moreover, they concluded that the delegate of Japan’s proposal was too broad and tackled a lot of information at once.

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ICJ DEBATES LAWFULNESS OF I NDEPENDENCE OF KOSVO

by Steven Chung

Kosovo is a nation that is considered to be an independent nation for some international nation or a province under the rule of Serbia for other international nations. Although the autonomous province of Serbia declared its independence in 2008 after the assembly of Kosovo unanimously voted for their independence, there has been tension between the two nations, sparking debates among the international community whether the independence of Kosovo was lawful according to the international law.

Due to continuous human right violations inflicted by the Serbian government, the Albanian population, the ethnic majority of Kosovo, wanted their own autonomous nation, as they did before 1989. However, many countries, such as China and Russia, deem the population’s independence unlawful because of Serbia’s sovereign right to maintain its borders, which allow the country to prevent a loss of territorial land. On the other hand, other countries, such as the United States of America, believe that Albanian independence is justifiable because of the inalienable rights of the Albanian population to self-determine their internal and external political status.

For the first session of the International Court of Justice committee, the judges of ICJ debated upon which evidence should be presumed reliable. The first evidence presented by judge Seyeon Lee, judge of ICJ, regarded Kosovo’s current status regarding security and economic growth, as well as solutions to their political crisis.

“My evidence was based on UNSC resolution of 1244 and the series of event that happened in 2008, during Kosovo’s independence," said Seyeon Lee, judge of ICJ. "This was crucial for other judges to understand because it gave a criteria of what is legal or not regarding independence. It provides a stand point, on which the judges could make their conclusion.”

The other judges considered Seyeon’s evidence to be reliable and relevant. Judge Samantha Kim, judge of ICJ, stated that this piece of evidence provided many solutions to the Kosovo crisis,

therefore providing the other judges with a broader perspective in coming up with possible solutions.

“The operative clauses of this evidence focused on military and paramilitary activities by all parties, commencement of militarization of armed groups and also the establishment of international civilian presence in the UN,” said Samantha Kim, judge of ICJ. “This evidence deserves a high rating because the evidence attacked the problem from many different angles, whether it be humanitarian aid or militarization of the area.”

The judges from ICJ continued to debate which pieces of evidence would be reliable and relevant to determining whether Kosovo’s independence was lawful or unlawful.

Although Kosovo still struggles to gain recognition of their independence, later today, the judges would be holding a session of opinions from the advisory panel and come to a conclusion among themselves.

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Six Party Talks embarks on a cooperative start with six unique delegations

by Sarah Jung

Secretary General of SEOMUN XX, had purposefully organized the delegations in Six Party Talks so that they would consist of students from different schools.

This reorganization of delegates was done in the hopes of fostering more creativity for resolutions and for cooperation between delegates.

“I am focusing on the topic of protecting North Korean defectors from economic and humanitarian inequality,” said Christopher Shin, delegate of Japan. “I hope to impose clauses that include creating more accountability within nations. I think one of the topics that require the most urgency is lowering the amount of nuclear provocations within member nations especially because North Korea is improving their nuclear technology.”

Starting off its attendance in a unique manner with three delegates per country, the Six Party Talks (SPT) commenced their first day of SEOMUN in an organized manner. With one spokesperson from each delegation, the committee shared the main topics of discussion: protecting North Korean defectors from economic and humanitarian inequality, establishing new protocols to preclude DPRK from committing further human rights abuses, and reducing ongoing nuclear provocations within member nations. The committee was released soon after the introduction speeches to interact with one another during lobbying session.

“We want the delegates to understand the intricacy and complexity of the between the nations here,” said Alyssa Choi, President of Six Party Talks. “Depending on the power differences in each country, the debate for each topic can tend to be very delicate and change very quickly. We want each country to be independent and expressive of their specific stance but be able to empathize with other nations at the same time to reduce overall hostility.”

In addition to explaining the importance of lowering nuclear provocations, Christopher noted how his delegation could bring a variety of solutions and organizations to help the tensions in the Korean Peninsula. In the spotlight of this committee aside from Japan was North Korea which would definitely play a significant role in the committee.

“The delegation of North Korea is leaning towards rejection of many potential resolutions based on the topics,” said Austin Maung, delegate of North Korea.

“Sanctions will not work on North Korea. Basically North Korea will accept resolutions only if resources are offered, such as oil, nuclear power, and hydroelectric power. The nuclear provocation issue how other nations want to freeze the nuclear program in North Korea is one topic that our delegation is most concerned about.”

Topics mainly concerning North Korea and its nuclear provocations circulated around each group of delegates during the lobbying session for the Six Party Talks. With a variety of delegates from different schools for each delegation, the committee looks forward to having a vibrant discussion based on the given three topics.

Expanding upon the idea of the ability to reduce hostility between nations through empathy, Alyssa elaborated on a unique aspect of the committee itself: the organization of delegations. This year, Nicholas Kim,

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Leaders emerge at special COnference Resolution Drafting

by Eric Hwang

The delegations of France, the Democratic Republic of Korea, and the Republic of Korea rallied around Australia, advocating for his ideas of education, dialogue, and aid to minorities.

The delegates commented on the effectiveness of his proposals to help a wider range of people than ever before.

“I agree with a majority of these clauses because I feel that it actually helps tackle a broad range of people facing discrimination,” said Andrea Ho, delegate of France. “The resolution does a good job protecting many forms of discrimination in schools and in the workplace, as well as shielding lesser known minorities who tend to receive less humanitarian aid than others.”

On the first day of SEOMUN XX, the Special Conference started the process of lobbying to begin writing the resolutions that will be debated for the rest of the conference.

Geo Yoo, delegate of Australia, led the efforts to create a resolution to prevent cultural discrimination in the Special Conference. Proposing international cooperation to provide aid to the most oppressed minorities, biannual meetings to discuss ways to prevent racism, and education to promote diversity, Geo focused on creating an organization to track and record hate crimes, discrimination, and improper political representation of minorities.

“In past efforts, the real problem was that people did not know what minorities to prioritize and what groups were in grave danger and in need of our attention,” Geo said. “Creating an analytical program through which we can analyze how many hate crimes were committed against these minority groups would be extremely helpful in making humanitarian aid more effective and efficient.”

Despite the resolution’s strength in protecting many different oppressed groups, concerns began to rise on the effectiveness of the resolution to deal with discrimination on a small scale level as well as in social contexts.

“We need to try to focus efforts on a more local level,” Andrea said. “Instead of focusing on international organizations and handing out aid, I would focus more on individual schools and workplaces. In addition, I think that our resolution partially looks past resolving discrimination in social settings, which is the point of this Special Conference.”

Despite these concerns, the delegates praised the solid foundation of the resolution. With a strong framework and innovative ideas, the coalition seemed to be creating an effective solution for the global discrimination of minorities and showing high hopes in passing the resolution.

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fashion of SEOMUN delegates

by Sarah Jung

RYAN JANG

I chose to wear this suit and tie because SEOMUN’s main color is blue. This navy color reflects the significance and gravity of the issues that are going to be talked about during the SEOMUN conference.

EMILY YAN

This is my most casual outfit for conferences like SEOMUN. I matched my favorite skirt with a clean white top. I thought the flower patterns on my skirt would show the elaborate merging of ideas in this conference.

ANDREA D’SOUZA

JOHN GEE I selected these pair of socks because there is also a fun and enjoyable side of MUN when you get to interact with the other delegates.

My necktie is from Christian Lacroix; I thought it would be an agreeable fit for my suit and top.

I needed something formal, so I chose to wear something that looked tidy. I thought the color white would resemble my open approach in the International Court of Justice and address the noteworthiness of this conference.

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Opening ceremony inspires and motivates delegates

by Fiona Cho

SEOMUN XX officially commenced with Secretary General Nicholas Kim’s first welcoming words at 9:00 AM. At this time, delegates from all conferences gathered at room 327 for the opening ceremony, where they would officially become participants of the conference and hear words of advice and insight from the Secretariat and the guest speakers.

After a brief introduction of the Secretariat members and a welcoming message from Nicholas, the podium opened to guest speaker, Donavan Storey. Currently the Deputy Director at the Global Green Growth Institute in Seoul, he previously worked for the United Nations in Bangkok for six years.

Mr. Storey started his speech by discussing the torrent of social and environmental issues that recently plagued the world before urging delegates to stay strong and hopeful amidst the series of crises.

“You here representing values of coming together to discuss the things that you want to discuss are part of a constant struggle of global and national issues,” Mr. Storey said. “We are not coming to the end of something in which you put a full stop to, but you are fighting against forces, which are sometimes extremely negative in regards to a national or local level. But our mission is to fight and be a part of that constant struggle.”

Continuing the chain of inspiring speeches, Peter Colaianni, Seoul International School’s Director of Schools spoke about the importance of upholding UN’s core principles. He emphasized the need for students to view MUN as an accurate representation of UN, although it is simply a model of the parent organization.

“One of the UN’s primary purposes is promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all regardless of race, sex, language, or religion,” Dr. Colaianni said. “Member states have pledged to undertake separate action to protect these rights. As delegates of member states of the UN, I wish you all the best in ensuring that you live up to that pledge as you represent your countries at this conference.”

The words of Mr. Storey, Dr. Colaianni, and members of the Secretariat resonated within the delegates, filling them with optimism and the desire to let their words be heard. All of the delegates, whether they were a new and inexperienced, or a seventh year member, were able to accumulate a new level of understanding and insight through the opening ceremony.

“Traditionally, MUN has been about the best speakers, the most confident speakers, and these delegates always dominate the conversation,” Andrew said.

“What I noticed is that a lot of quiet, shy delegates with good ideas often stay quiet during the debates because they are not confident enough to speak. I just want to make sure that even the confident delegates who want to dominate the discussion leave their mind open to new ideas, and the shy delegates find the opportunity to voice their opinions as well.”

“We are not coming to the end of something in which you put a full stop to, but you are fighting against forces, which are sometimes extremely negative in regards to a national or local level.”

SEOULITE 2017

Donovan Storney

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ISSUE 1 November 10, 2017