Seoul: Experts from home and abroad explored global trade and security uncertainties driven by the intensifying U.S.-China rivalry and growing protectionism during a symposium hosted Thursday by Yonhap News Agency, proposing response strategies for the Lee Jae Myung administration.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the annual Korean Peninsula Symposium was held at Hotel Shilla in central Seoul, co-hosted by the Ministry of Unification and the Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS), under the theme of "New Administration's Strategic Response to Seismic Shift in International Order During Trump's Second Term." In a congratulatory speech, delivered by his press secretary Lee Kyu-youn, President Lee stressed the unprecedented protectionism and security uncertainties facing South Korea, pledging to "turn complex global crises into opportunities to maximize the national interest."
The president also cited geopolitical tensions, growing rivalry over technological hegemony, fractured global supply chains and widespread protectionism, vowing the government will "proactively respond to shifts in the global trade environment to help South Korean firms compete more effectively." "Based on the solid South Korea-U.S. alliance, the government will strengthen cooperation with Japan and China," Lee also noted.
Government officials and experts proposed and reaffirmed bipartisan strategies for overcoming global crises, with National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik calling for unified cooperation that transcends partisanism to address diplomatic and security challenges. Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam-jung said the Lee government will seek to overcome inter-Korean tensions through dialogue and pave the way for peaceful coexistence between the two Koreas, citing the recent suspension of loudspeaker broadcasts and leaflet campaigns against Pyongyang.
"From a pragmatic perspective, free from ideology or sentiment, the government will work toward fostering tangible peace on the Korean Peninsula so that the country can make another leap forward," Kim said. In a video message, Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ), a Korean American member of Congress, described the Trump administration's tariff hikes as "detrimental" to the South Korea-U.S. partnership, saying that now is the time for the two countries "to be able to stand up against the competitors and adversaries."
Yonhap News Agency President and CEO Hwang Dae-il also referred to ongoing shifts in the global trade, diplomacy and security environment, pledging that his agency "will contribute to building peace on the peninsula and the unification of two Koreas." Presided over by Han Suk-hee, president of the INSS, the first discussion session featured a roundtable discussion on the new wave of U.S. isolationism and its impact on trade, diplomacy and security. Participants included think tank researchers and directors from the United States, Japan and South Korea.
With the theme of "Turning Challenges into Opportunities: Policy Proposals for Navigating Upheaval," former South Korean Ambassador to the U.S. Ahn Ho-young, former Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam and former Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee presented policy recommendations for the Lee administration during the second session.
Yonhap has hosted the symposium annually with the unification ministry since 2015 to bring together experts, politicians and government officials to examine the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and explore solutions to emerging issues. Thursday's symposium was streamed online on YouTube in Korean and English.