Young leaders attending the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue this year seem to have similar geo-political concerns as their seniors, in an indication that current security threats will likely persist for years.

“The Korean Peninsular issue does not only concern the two Koreas. It is an issue where the major powers, such as the US and China, are also deeply involved with. Any form of military conflict between the US and North Korea would spillover and draw in other countries as well, therefore resulting in numerous casualties and a major disruption to regional peace and stability,” said Shawn Ho, Associate Research Fellow at the Regional Security Architecture Programme, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University.

“I hope to encourage more dialogue and engagement between countries, especially if they view the other side as an adversary. I firmly believe that regular and frank interactions between political leaders, academics, government officials and even average citizens can help change the perceptions that a country has of another seemingly hostile country.”