Held at the Lotte Hotel Seoul, the seminar brought together a distinguished panel of experts, government officials, researchers, and industry leaders to discuss the evolving landscape of international economic relations between South Korea and Canada.

Welcoming remarks by Siwook Lee, President of KIEP, and Canadian Ambassador Tamara Mawhinney set the tone for a comprehensive dialogue on strengthening economic ties. The forum's agenda featured keynote speeches that delved into the economic security strategies of both nations. Beomseok Kim, First Vice Minister of Economy and Finance, and Taeho Bark, Co-Chair of Canada-Korea Forum, provided crucial insights into how South Korea and Canada are navigating global structural changes. Hye-min Lee, a former G20 Sherpa, further enriched the discussions with a special lecture on strategies for adapting to the rapidly evolving global trade environment.

The forum was structured around two thematic sessions. The first, Economic Security Implications of the Korea-Canada Strategic Partnership, featured presentations by Vina Nadjibulla from the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and Gusang Kang from KIEP's North America and Europe Team. The second session tackled Challenges of Global Supply Chains from a Private Sector Perspective. Trevor Kennedy, Vice President of the Business Council of Canada, and Kyunglyung Lee from the Korean Security Agency of Trade and Industry (KOSTI) outlined the challenges faced by South Korea and Canada’s private sector and articulated their demands to the government. 

Participants emphasized the importance of identifying practical solutions and exploring new avenues for economic security cooperation. The forum represented a critical platform for dialogue, aimed at strengthening the strategic partnership between South Korea and Canada in an increasingly interconnected global economy.

The event underscored the mutual commitment of both nations to collaborative approaches in addressing economic challenges and opportunities on the international stage.

- Title: ROK-Canada Economic Security Forum 

- Topic: Exploring Strategies to Strengthen Economic Security and Bilateral Cooperation between South Korea and Canada

- Date & Time: Wednesday, December 11th, 2024, 09:00-14:00

- Venue: Lotte Hotel Seoul

- Hosts: Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), Embassy of Canada to the Republic of Korea 

- Contact: Eunbin Park, Senior Researcher, North America and Europe Team (ebpark@kiep.go.kr)