Darkness looms above in the skies. Has it already become night? Only a scant few months ago, the sky was blue, full of beauty, and birds. Birds. Birds! One cannot imagine birds today nor can one imagine beauty, for they have long forsaken these lands, and in their absence, only horror remains. I thought we, the people of Korea, could possess joy, freedom, liberty! I wish for those days back, the days of my naiveté, the days when I dreamed. I remember seeing the roll of the T-34s. I had never seen such a thing, the shock on my face, for our liberation was at hand. At least, that is what I thought. Look at me now, fighting the very thing that was my supposed saviour. How ironic.

Chairman Kim, supported by the Soviet Union and People’s Republic of China, invaded our homeland. They did this under the flag of “democracy”, under the flag of the “Democratic People's Republic of Korea,” which soon adopted the ideology of totalitarianism and the purging of democracy seen in their allies. The year is 1950, and North Korea’s brutal surprise invasion of South Korea has decimated us. Hundreds of thousands of citizens were left dead or displaced as North Korea fought through people and buildings alike in their conquest for a united Korean Peninsula. The United Nations has been called in to assist the Republic of Korea — or what’s left of it. You, delegates, will be in charge of defending democracy in Korea and preventing the spread of communism in Asia.

This often overlooked conflict led to the first ever UN military intervention force as major powers quickly took action to support each side. This began as a battle of ideologies between socialist and democratic nations, which is now spiraling into a conflict which will lead to the deaths of millions, as the most powerful nations in the world seek to spread their influence in the region. Delegates in this committee will be tested through their ability to take the initiative, proficiency with military and operational strategy, and critical thinking as they overcome numerous challenges in an attempt to reunite the Korean peninsula once and for all.

HONORARY CHAIRS

Dr. Walter Dorn

Walter Dorn is Professor of Defence Studies at the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) and the Canadian Forces College (CFC). He teaches officers of rank major to brigadier-general from Canada and nearly 2 dozen countries around the world. He specializes in arms control, international criminal law, just war theory, peace operations, treaty verification and enforcement, and the United Nations.

As an "operational professor" he participates in field missions and assists international organizations. For instance, he was a UN Electoral Officer for the 1999 referendum in East Timor and a Visiting Professional with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2010. He also served as a consultant with the UN's Department of Peacekeeping Operations, including in 2014 as a member of the Expert Panel on Technology and Innovation in UN Peacekeeping. In 2020, Dr. Dorn served with the UN as a "Technology Innovation Expert" in 2021, consulted for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Dr. Adam Chapnick

Dr. Adam Chapnick is a professor of defence studies at the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC). Additionally, he also serves as the deputy director of education at the Canadian Forces College. He holds a BA (Honours) from Trent University, an MA in International Affairs from Carleton University, and a PhD in History from the University of Toronto. He joined RMC in 2006 and currently teaches courses in Canadian foreign policy and strategic decision-making at the federal level. He also supervises theses on Canadian foreign and public policy and plays a leading role in drafting and implementing the College’s teaching and learning vision and strategies.

BACKGROUND GUIDE

CHARACTER GUIDE

MECHANICS GUIDE

COMMITTEE DAIS

COMMITTEE DIRECTOR

David Li

David Li (he/him) is a second-year PPE student at University College, Oxford, and is currently the head delegate of the Oxford University Model United Nations Travel Team. Outside of his endless coursework, David can be found studying his collection of maps, reading up on ancient Chinese history, or attempting to make gourmet food in the kitchen (usually to little success, although only a few of his test subjects have gotten food poisoning so far). David has been actively involved in MUN since grade 11, beginning as a delegate, winning a number of awards across Canada, the US, and the UK, before becoming a chair, head delegate, and finally, an organizer. With his immense background in MUN, David is looking forward to continuing his journey with OxfordMUN Canada.

CRISIS DIRECTOR

Oliver Davis

Oliver Davis is a first-year student at Pembroke College, Oxford studying PPE. Oliver has been engaged with MUN since secondary school, and enjoys studying geopolitics and grand strategy. He has carried that passion over to university, where he has participated as a delegate, chair and organiser both in the United Kingdom and in international locations as varied as Lahore, Pakistan and Belgrade, Serbia. Outside of academic work at Oxford, Oliver enjoys playing the bassoon and viola in addition to early mornings on the water rowing. He has also recently taken up learning Chinese and Italian – at times incurring increasingly late nights in the library. With this experience and passion, Oliver is excited to leave a lasting impact at OxfordMUN Canada.