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, held the 5th Ilmin Forum for International Affairs and Security (IFIAS) on December 18. The main speaker was Dr. Robert Rotberg, Professor of Harvard University, who talked about “State Failure and North Korea: A Conceptual Framework".

Dr. Rotberg explained that security, among others, is the most important element which determines state failure. Therefore, North Korea is not a failed state yet because it still maintains firm control over security although it is not adequately providing political goods(public goods) for its people. He also emphasized the particular danger of North Korea's potential failure because it is a WMD-owned state. In order to prevent such danger, he insisted that the international community such as UN and G8 actively intervene.