Candidates for the next United Nations Secretary-General gathered on Jeju Island, South Korea, this Wednesday to discuss the future of global leadership [1].

The meeting arrives as the international community faces eroding trust between nations and ongoing wars. Because the candidates are presenting their visions for UN reform, the forum serves as a critical litmus test for how the organization will handle intensified geopolitical rivalry.

The event marks the 21st [1] Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity, specifically the Series 2 sessions. Scheduled from June 24 to 26, 2026 [2], the forum is hosted by officials from the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province [1].

Organizers said that all candidates for the next UN Secretary-General will attend the gathering [3]. This rare assembly allows the potential leaders to share their specific strategies for adapting the United Nations to a changing global order. The discussions focus on the necessity of leadership that can navigate the friction between major powers while maintaining the integrity of international law.

Jeju Island, often referred to as the "Island of Peace," provides the backdrop for these deliberations. The forum aims to address the paradox of seeking peace in an era where trust among nations continues to decline [2]. Participants are expected to debate whether the current UN structure can survive without significant reform to its core leadership and operational frameworks.

By gathering the entire pool of candidates in one location, the forum highlights the urgency of the succession process. The candidates must articulate how they will manage the tensions of the current decade, specifically those involving shifting alliances and the persistence of regional conflicts, to prevent a total collapse of multilateral cooperation.

“All candidates for the next UN Secretary-General will attend”

The gathering of all UN Secretary-General candidates in a single forum underscores a growing consensus that the UN requires more than just a change in personnel, but a fundamental shift in leadership style. By focusing on 'reform' and 'changing global order,' the forum acknowledges that the traditional mechanisms of the UN are struggling to keep pace with modern geopolitical volatility.