Convening of the Sunnylands Initiative Seoul Meeting to Strengthen Democracy

I. The Sunnylands Initiative

The Sunnylands Initiative was established in January 2020 to strengthen democratic governance and develop and advance a vision for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. In the absence of regional infrastructure to uphold freedom, human rights, democracy, the rule of law, and the international rules-based order, the Sunnylands Initiative serves as a platform for key regional government and non-government stakeholders to convene, discuss, and strategize on strengthening democracy in the region. It aims to contribute to fostering an environment where freedom, stability, and prosperity can be enjoyed in the Indo-Pacific by strengthening solidarity among all actors who share universal values, in a context where democracy is threatened by geopolitical conflicts and confrontation.

At the founding meeting co-hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in Sunnylands, USA, in January 2020, former and current government officials and scholars from various countries held a private strategic dialogue to discuss ways to support and strengthen democratic norms in Asia. This was publicly released in July of the same year through“The Sunnylands Principles on Enhancing Democratic Partnership in the Indo-Pacific Region,”.

Following online meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic, an in-person meeting was held in Odawara, Japan, in 2022. At this meeting, the Sunnylands Initiative reaffirmed its commitment to supporting democracy in the region, including by establishing a series of dialogues involving key regional government and non-government stakeholders and building a regional platform to support civil society and independent media, as stated in the“Odawara Statement.”

At the third Sunnylands Initiative meeting in Sydney, Australia, in April 2023, leaders from various countries reaffirmed the “Sunnylands Principles on Enhancing Democratic Partnership in the Indo-Pacific Region” and issued the“Sydney Joint Statement,”presenting an action plan for building governance in the Indo-Pacific region based on universal democratic values.

II. The Sunnylands Initiative Special Convening in Seoul

The East Asia Institute (EAI), in collaboration with the NED, hosted the 'Sunnylands Initiative Seoul Meeting' from February 1st to 2nd, 2024, to gather opinions from international civil society and convey them to the Korean government in anticipation of the 3rd Summit for Democracy to be held in South Korea in March 2024.

Over the two days, participants discussed the following topics:

- The current state of democracy in the Indo-Pacific region

- Recommendations for strengthening South Korea's global democratic leadership

- Progress and future support plans for four working groups focusing on building partnerships for democracy, supporting democracy activists facing threats, anti-corruption, and technology and democracy

- Expanding foreign aid to support democracy

- Strengthening ROK-U.S.-Japan cooperation for regional democratic enhancement

- Promoting democratic partnerships with South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Pacific Island countries

Participants of the Sunnylands Convening issued the “Seoul Joint Statement,” recommending that South Korea continue to exercise leadership in the cooperation of liberal democracies and institutionalize this leadership even after the 3rd Summit for Democracy.

In this statement, participants proposed (1) the establishment of a bipartisan independent agency to support democracy, (2) an expansion of Official Development Assistance (ODA) for democracy, and (3) the creation of a coalition of democracies among Indo-Pacific nations.

[Full Text of the "Seoul Joint Statement" (Download)]

■ Contact: Jisu Park_EAI Researcher

    Inquiries: 02 2277 1683 (ext. 208) | jspark@eai.or.kr