The Ilmin International Relations Institute (IIRI: headed by Acting Director Kim Sung-han, professor of the Graduate School of International Studies, Korea University), an affiliate of Korea University and a recipient of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation's "Asia Security Initiative" research fund, launched the 4th Ilmin Forum for International Affairs and Security (IFIAS), the main speaker of which was Joel Wit, Senior Research Fellow, Columbia University; Former Korea Desk Officer, US State Department. Wit spoke on “How to Deal with the North Korean Contingency: An American Perspective".

Wit emphasized importance of finding the right policies that we should pursue now rather than the plans that we make for the uncertain future because even the best plans can turn out obsolete as soon as the contingency breaks out. He also criticized the current hard-line approach to North Korea because it will make North Korea move closer to the orbit of China, which will be detrimental to the leverage of South Korea and US vis-à-vis North Korea. Lastly, He pointed out that China factor is the most critical variable in the North Korean problems.