1. Q&A Session

On April 17th, the East Asia Institute hosted a roundtable meeting to discuss South Korea’s potential contributions to Ukraine’s peace and reconstruction efforts. The meeting featured Solomiia Bobrovska, a member of parliament in Ukraine, Marcin Walecki, National Democratic Senior Resident Country Director in Ukraine, and Olena Halushka, a Board member of the Anti-Corruption Action Center in Kyiv. The presenters defined the Ukraine War as a war of norms and values and emphasized the importance of the international community in promoting the victory of democracy. Korean participants, including Cheolsoo Ahn (Member of the 21st National Assembly, People Power Party), Chaesung Chun (Chair, EAI Center for National Security Center; Professor, Seoul National University), Du Hyeon Cha (Principal Fellow, Asan Institute for Policy Studies), Jung Kim (Professor, University of North Korean Studies), Sook Jong Lee (Senior Fellow, East Asia Institute), Wongon Park (Chair, EAI Center for North Korean Studies; Professor, Ewha Womans University), Jeehyun Yoon (Director General, Korea International Cooperation Agency) discussed the prospects of the ongoing Ukraine War as well as the possibility of peace negotiations. The importance of parliamentary diplomacy in providing more effective support to Ukraine was also highlighted.

2. Humanitarian Crisis in Ukraine and Ways to Unlock a More Effective Response

Solomiia Bobrovska, a member of the Ukrainian Parliament, states that the ongoing war in Ukraine has resulted in the internal displacement of 5.3 million people within the country, and forced 8 million refugees to flee across the border. Additionally, the conflict has led to the loss of a quarter of the country's arable land in the affected regions. Bobrovska emphasizes the urgent need for humanitarian support to aid those affected and to prevent the conflict from having a detrimental effect on food security in Ukraine. She calls on the international community to collaborate and help facilitate Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction.

3. Ukraine's Democratic Resilience in the Shadow of War

Marcin Walecki, the Senior Resident Country Director of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Ukraine, emphasizes that Ukraine is not only battling against Russian aggression but is also striving for a democratic and sovereign future. Despite facing challenges in safeguarding democratic gains during times of war, he remains optimistic about Ukraine's future, primarily due to the active engagement of its citizens. Dr. Walecki suggests that South Korea's experience in anti-corruption reforms and maintaining a healthy balance between business and politics could provide valuable assistance to Ukraine. He believes that Ukraine would welcome South Korea's support in protecting its democracy.

4. A New Stage in Ukraine's Fight Against Corruption

Olena Halushka, a board member of the Anti-Corruption Action Center in Ukraine, emphasizes that significant progress has been made in promoting transparency and accountability in the country through the implementation of an electronic declaration method and the establishment of institutions like the Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and a specialized anti-corruption prosecutor's office. Halushka also highlights the resilience of these institutions during wartime, indicating the success of Ukraine's anti-corruption reforms. To ensure a transparent and corruption-free reconstruction process, she stresses the need to prioritize judicial reform and prevent oligarchs from exerting undue influence.