In the late 1990's, regionalism within Northeast Asia had seemed out of reach. However, a new economic order, 'free trade,' enforced by the World Trade Organization (WTO), reshaped the world economic landscape and instigated the need for regional integration across Northeast Asia (NEA). Although establishing a highly advanced regional integration model such as the European Union is difficult to construct across Asia, NEA countries are increasingly aware of the need to hold conferences gathering together China, Korea, and Japan to construct a NEA level dialogue channel to facilitate successful inter-regional cooperation. In this regard, continuing insightful discussions is an essential prerequisite for NEA to be on an equal footing with Southeast Asian countries in terms of regional cooperation. Efforts to realize regional integration is the very vision and objective of the Yonsei Leadership Forum, NEAN.

In order to predict the future direction of NEA, NEAN will consistently exert a significant role in advancing concrete models for feasible and practical cooperation within NEA to achieve enduring peace, prosperity, and progress. The Republic of Korea has played an important role in geographic, ideological, and economic terms, and NEAN wishes to successfully and favorably balance major regional issues by utilizing its political and economical position. NEAN not only aspires to forge close relations among NEA countries, but also contribute to bridging the gap between Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, in alliance with ASEAN, to find solutions to Northeast Asia’s political and economical situations.

NEAN's visionary goals and specific plans will be realized in conjunction with governmental organizations such as EAVG (East-Asia Vision Group) and EASG (East-Asia Study Group). NEAN's future plan will be further developed with the help of diverse organizations and various kinds of channels across Northeast Asian countries.