The Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), in partnership with 18 associations of area studies, hosted the 2025 KIEP and Associations of Area Studies (KAAS) Conference on October 24, 2025, at the El Tower in Seoul. Under the overarching theme of “Designing Regional Strategies in a Multipolar Economic Landscape,” the conference brought together approximately 130 distinguished experts in international and regional studies.

In his opening remarks, President Siwook Lee noted that as the multilateral trading system faces increasing uncertainty, Korea must strengthen its economic resilience by diversifying cooperation partnerships rather than relying on specific countries. He emphasized the importance of formulating a comprehensive external economic strategy that integrates digital transformation, technological competition, investment, and labor mobility into Korea’s existing trade policies. President Lee further urged the academic and expert communities to pool their intellectual resources in developing an innovative strategy for the future.

Delivering his congratulatory remarks, Professor Dong-Yeob Kim, President of the Korean Association of Southeast Asian Studies (KASEAS), highlighted that Southeast Asia is undergoing complex transformations—strategic competition between the U.S. and China, regional economic integration, and digital and green transitions—while seeking a proactive and dynamic future centered around ASEAN. He expressed his hope that the conference would provide an opportunity to explore strategic responses from each region and Korea’s avenues for cooperation in depth.

Professor Jong-Hak Eun, President of the Korean Association for Contemporary Chinese Studies, defined the notion of an “era of multipolarity,” a core theme of this conference, as “a global landscape where established norms and orders are being dismantled and constraints by power are becoming pervasive.” He stressed the urgent need for countries to explore new strategies and build resilient international networks, expressing his expectation that the discussions held during the conference would lead to practical solutions to the complex challenges of this new era.

In his keynote address, Professor Sung Jin Kang of Korea University analyzed that the global economy in the era of multipolarity is shifting toward a system of “conditional free trade” centered on economic security and sustainability. He emphasized that Korea, within the new international trade order, should move beyond its past catch-up growth model and pursue balanced, regional, and sustainable development. Professor Kang further asserted that the key drivers of economic growth lie not in geography or natural resources but in inclusive political and economic institutions, and that institutional capacity to mediate social conflict is essential for national prosperity.

In addition to the keynote session, the conference featured 18 parallel sessions organized by the participating area studies associations, along with the KIEP Session and the Next Generation Scholars Session. Based on the 60 research papers presented across the sessions, participants engaged in in-depth discussions on strategic responses to global and regional restructuring in the era of multipolarity.

- Title: 2025 KIEP and Associations of Area Studies Conference

- Topic: Designing Regional Strategies in a Multipolar Economic Landscape

- Date & Time: October 24, 2025, 12:00–17:50

- Venue: El Tower, Seoul

- Hosts: Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), 18 Associations of Area Studies

- Contact: Ms. Soonbok Jung, Center for Emerging Economy Studies (sbjung@kiep.go.kr)