Seoul: Yonhap News Agency, South Korea's key newswire, is set to host a symposium on Friday to discuss security policy directions amidst weakening alliances and growing challenges in economic security, such as supply chain disruptions. The annual Korean Peninsula Symposium will be held at Lotte Hotel Seoul in central Seoul and is co-hosted by the Ministry of Unification and the Institute for National Security Strategy.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this year's theme is "Global complex crises and the Korean Peninsula." Unification Minister Chung Dong-young is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech addressing the policy direction of President Lee Jae Myung's government concerning North Korea and strategies to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula. President Lee's congratulatory remarks will be presented on his behalf by Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations and communication. Additionally, New National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik will offer congratulatory remarks.
U.S. House Representatives Young Kim (R-CA) and Ami Bera (D-CA) will participate virtually in the opening ceremony, providing video messages that emphasize the importance of the South Korea-U.S. alliance. Yonhap News Agency President and CEO Hwang Dae-il will also speak at the opening.
The forum's first session will gather experts from the United States, Japan, China, and other nations to examine the shifting dynamics of alliances in the current international order and discuss how major countries are responding to the evolving global security landscape. In the second session, security experts and former foreign policy officials will focus on the growing uncertainties over economic and energy security, exploring how South Korea should navigate the forthcoming challenges.
Yonhap has been hosting the symposium annually with the unification ministry since 2015, providing a platform for experts, politicians, and government officials to analyze the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and explore solutions to emerging issues. The forum will be accessible via livestream on YouTube in both Korean and English.