On October 17, the NARS held a seminar on Main Issues on the Korea-Japan Relations and Tasks of Korea at the main conference hall from 14:00 to 16:30.

Experts from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the academia and the Korea-Japan Parliamentarians' Union were invited for presentations and panel discussions on major issues on the recent tension between the two countries and possible solutions to such tension.

In his congratulatory message, the Speaker of the National Assembly Chung Eui-hwa emphasized the leading role the National Assembly must take in improving the relationship between Korea and Japan. In response, Assembly Member Mr. Kil Jeong-woo of Saenuri Party said on behalf of the Korea-Japan Parliamentarians' Union that the Union would do its best to continue its part in resolving issues between Korea and Japan.

Nam Koong-young, president of the Korean Association of International Studies, served as a moderator and Chung Byung-won, Deputy Director General of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Northeast Asian Affairs Bureau, Lee Won-deok, professor at Kookmin University, gave presentations. To make the seminar more constructive, Park Jeong-ho, Secretary General of Korea-Japan Parliamentarians' Union, Kim Ho-sup, professor at Chung-Ang University, Choi Eun-bong, professor at Ewha Womans University, Bong Young-shik, Senior Researcher at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies and Lee Hyun-chool, counsel for Politics at the NARS, participated in the discussions.

The seminar participants agreed that the recent tension between Korea and Japan would be detrimental not only to Korea but also to Japan, and that while Japan's misconduct must be criticized, Korea and Japan must focus on developing policies to improve the relationship between the two countries.