The first task probably is to determine what the next generation of mail should do, and how that is different than what SMTP/2822/POP-or-IMAP or instant messaging does. It is safe to say that we can ignore actual protocol proposals for many months (if not years) until we figure out what is needed. Once we do that, there are plenty of protocol people who can attack the decided-on requirements.
There is no expectation that there will be significant agreement on the list. It is likely that over time the discussion will split into camps of like-minded design goals. The list might then spawn different lists for the folks of the different camps (mail-ng-shoe, mail-ng-sandal, ...). The list is explicitly not yet meant to be an IETF working group yet (if at all), and is probably more akin to the IRTF. But at the beginning, it will most likely be talking, not research.
See <http://www.imc.org/mail-ng/> for information on how to subscribe. The list is taking subscriptions now, and will probably go live for discussions within a week. Having some discussion on a mailing list now should make the dinners and bar gatherings at Seoul more interesting.
--Paul Hoffman, Director --Internet Mail Consortium