Young people from South Korea, North Korean defectors, the Korean diaspora and overseas communities gathered in Seoul on Wednesday to discuss peace and the future of the Korean Peninsula, leading up to the launch of an international youth alliance advocating for a unified Korea. The One Korea Youth Forum 2026 was held on U.N. International Youth Day, which falls on Aug. 12, under the theme "Startup for Peace: Global Youth for Building a Sustainable Korean Peninsula." The forum was hosted by the Global Peace Foundation Korea and organized with youth groups including the Korean Dream Crew, the Youth Association of the Korea CIS Diaspora Association and Muipan Sapan, a student organization for North Korean defectors. The event was sponsored by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, as part of its program supporting social integration of North Korean defectors. Participants shared their views on peace, human rights and social integration on the Korean Peninsula, while discussing how young people could contribute to building a peaceful and sustainable future. "The fact that young people from diff