KIEP has been holding the annual KAAS Conference since 2014, contributing to the promotion of economic cooperation with global regions and the establishment of Korea’s international economic policy. In addition to the keynote lecture, a total of 19 sessions were held at this year’s Conference, including various parallel sessions, integrated sessions, and separate sessions for the next generation of researchers in the discipline. The Conference was organized by local academic societies, which presented a total of 44 papers throughout the proceedings.

In his opening remarks, President Siwook Lee of KIEP stated that, given the recent rapid change in the international community, Global South countries are emerging as key cooperation partners. “I hope that at a time when it is necessary to systematically establish and implement cooperation measures with the relevant countries, today’s seminar will be a chance to explore new opportunities and possibilities for South Korea,” he added.

In his greetings, President Changbae Seo of the Korean-Chinese Association of Social Science Studies (KCSSS) noted that the importance of the Global South is growing as the international order changes to the tripolar system of the US, the EU, and China. Furthermore, he mentioned, “I hope that the participants will understand the Global South strategies and directions of the major countries through this conference and seek rational response countermeasures for South Korea.”

President Hyekyong Choi of the International Association of the Area Studies (IAAS) conveyed the significance of the KAAS conference and emphasized that understanding the Global South is important in pursuing South Korea’s national interests amid threats to the new international order.

Following the opening session, Professor Taekyun Kim of the Seoul National University stressed the diplomatic, economic, and military importance of the Global South in his lecture titled "Global South and Global Regional Studies as a Meta Category.” In particular, he suggested a specific cooperative strategy, saying that rather than conceiving the Global South as a single community, we should devise customized cooperation relationships according to the characteristics of each country.

- Title: 2024 KIEP and Associations of Area Studies (KAAS) Conference

- Topic: The New World Order: Global South on the Rise

- Date & Time: October 18th, 2024, 13:00-18:00

- Venue: El Tower, Seoul 

- Hosts: Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), 19 Area Studies Associations

- Contact: Bandi Kang, Senior Researcher, India and South Asia Team (bdkang@kiep.go.kr)