This project involves attitudinal surveys of specialists and fact-finding surveys and studies conducted by groups of experts on security organized separately in China,
Japan, and South Korea. Its objective is to seek solutions to overall security problems in Northeast Asia and to prepare policy proposals and submit them to the respective governments.
In the first attitudinal survey, which was conducted this year, questionnaires were used to ascertain and analyze the views of 30 specialists in each of the three countries on issues in three areas (political and military affairs, economic cooperation, and historical and social affairs). The results, which were unveiled at a March 2006 international symposium in Beijing, confirmed the existence of differences in perceptions of security among the three countries' specialists.
The project was originally planned to continue for three years. On account of domestic circumstances, however, the KDI School of Public Policy and Management, had to suspend activities, and therefore the project was brought to a halt after the first year. Henceforth the Institute for East Asian Studies (South Korea) will take over, conducting the second and subsequent attitude surveys, analyzing the results, and putting together policy proposals.