Panelists will have a roundtable discussion to speak about current issues in Asia including the missiles launching from North Korea, South Korea’s government relationship with Chinese’s government and topics relating to Asian Americans.

The panel is scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday in the Charleston/Mattoon room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union, with a Q-and-A panel to follow.

Yan Yu, a visiting scholar from Dalian Polytechnic University in China, will explain the new economic zone and the next megacity in China, said Jinhee J. Lee, panel coordinator and history professor.

Brittany Dixon, a graduate student studying history, said she will discuss the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense.

Since North Korea has launched missiles this year, “the U.S. has decided to put a defense into place to stop the missiles before they hit anyone,” Dixon said.

Dixon said the THAAD is purely a defense system.

She said the Chinese government is worried the United States will pick up on the missile system in China and that the American government will use this against them.

During the panel Dixon plans to touch on the current relationship between the Chinese and South Korean governments.

The Chinese have blocked every piece of pop culture from South Korea and have even closed down successful South Korean companies based in China.

Dixon said she will also address travel restrictions from China to South Korea.

Jack Cruikshank, a graduate student studying political science, will talk about North Korean policies at the panel.

Fumitoshi Yoshizawa, another visiting professor from Niigata University of International and Information Studies in Japan, will explain the World War II military sex slavery controversy and the agreement made between South Korea and Japan.

Sex slaves during World War II were also called “comfort women.” The Imperial Japanese Army forced these women into sexual slavery. Most were from countries including Korea, China and the Philippines.

Jessica French, president of the Asian American Association, will share about the experiences of Asian-Americans under President Donald Trump’s administration.

Sam Mitchell, the treasurer of the Asian American Association and SeongHwan Kim, a member of the Korean Student Association, will team up to present on the recent impeachment of South Korean president Park Geun-hye and what is to follow.

Dixon said many people are not familiar with topics of discussion planned for Thursday.

She said she encourages students to come see “how interconnected the world really is.”

Kennedy Nolen can be reached at 581-2812 or kdnolen@eiu.edu.