14th Asian Corporate Conference

May 12 -14
The Shilla Hotel
Seoul, Korea

Home to almost a quarter of the world's population and almost a third of global GDP outside of the United States, Northeast Asia is already a region with sizable economic strength. Yet fulfilling its true growth potential as a region means moving toward economic integration and the formation of a more cohesive market. This conference will examine the region's economic future and what its political and business leaders are doing to make Northeast Asia the world's most attractive area for investment. As its major economies, what roles will Japan, China and Korea play in the region's integration? How does the new leadership in Seoul envision Northeast Asia's economic future and Korea's role in it? How will American political and commercial relations with Northeast Asia evolve in the coming years?

Confirmed Speakers (List in Formation)

Bae Soon Hoon, Chairman, Presidential Committee on Northeast Asian Business Hub, Republic of Korea
Ban Ki-moon, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Republic of Korea
Robert Cohen, Chief Executive Officer, Korea First Bank
Gordon Crovitz, Senior Vice President and President, Electronic Publishing, Dow Jones and Company, Inc.
John Gledhill, Managing Director, Philip Morris Korea Inc
Richard Holbrooke, Vice Chairman, Perseus; Chairman, Asia Society
Thomas Hubbard, United States Ambassador to the Republic of Korea
Sung-jin Hwang, Managing Director, Warburg Pincus
Hwang Young-key, Chief Executive Officer, Woori Financial Group
Hasung Jang, Professor of Finance and Director of the Asian Institute of Corporate Governance, Korea University
Kang Chul-kyu, Chairman, Korea Fair Trade Commission, Republic of Korea
K. Kesavapany, Director, Institute for Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore
Vu Khoan, Deputy Prime Minister, Vietnam
Kim Hak-su, Under Secretary-General, United Nations; Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
Jeong Se-hyun, Minister of Unification, Republic of Korea
Lee Jung-jae, Governor, Financial Supervisory Commission, Republic of Korea
Lee Myung-bak, Mayor of Seoul, Republic of Korea
Wonduck Lee, President, Korea Labor Institute
Nicholas Moore, Executive Director, Investment Banking Group, Macquarie Bank Limited
William Oberlin, President, American Chamber of Commerce in Korea
William Overholt, Asia Policy Chair, RAND Corporation
Tadakatsu Sano, Vice Minister for International Affairs, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan
Weijian Shan, Managing Partner, Newbridge Capital, LLC
Wanda Tseng, Deputy Director, Asia and Pacific Department, International Monetary Fund
Michael Vatikiotis, Editor, Far Eastern Economic Review
Yon Won-young, President & CEO, Korea Asset Management Corporation
Marcus Wright, Senior Editor, Dow Jones Newswires

Other Invited Speakers (Partial List)

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Prime Minister, Malaysia
Ahn Byung-young, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Human Resources Development, Republic of Korea
Natsagiin Bagabandi, President, Mongolia
Bo Xilai, Governor, Liaoning Provincial Government, People’s Republic of China
Sergey M. Darkin, Governor of Primorsky Krai, Russia
Mohamed Al Gergawi, Chairman of the Board, Dubai Development & Investment Authority
German O. Gref, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Russia
Han Zheng, Mayor of Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
James B. Hunt, Jr., former Governor, North Carolina; Member, Womble Carlyle Sandridge Rice, PLLC
Lee Hun-jai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy, Republic of Korea
Li Junru, Vice Chairman, China Reform Forum
Wan Jifei, Chairman, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT)
Xia Geng, Mayor of Qingdao, People’s Republic of China
Zhang Hongwei, Chairman and CEO, Dongfang Group

Program Subject to Change

Agenda

Wednesday, May 12

Gala Opening Dinner and Keynote Address
Hosted by the Government of the Republic of Korea

Thursday, May 13

Session I: Understanding the New Korean Economy

• Korea’s Sophisticated Consumer Marketplace: Understanding the Opportunity
  
• Confronting the Labor Issue and Other Barriers to Foreign Direct Investment
  
• The Impact of Shifting International Trade Patterns on the Domestic Economy
  
• Assessing Korea’s Potential as a Regional Business Hub: How Far Has It Come?Session II: Banking and Financial Market Reform in Korea and the Region
  
• The Benefits and Risks of Building Credit-Fueled Domestic Demand
  
• Developing a Healthy Banking Sector and Attracting Foreign Investment
  
• Regional Cooperation in the Financial Sphere

• What Aspects of Financial Reform in Korea Provide a Relevant Model for China and Japan?

Special Session: New Songdo City


Session III: Overcoming “The Korean Discount”

• Causes and Long-Term Solutions
  
• The Impact on Growth Strategies of Korean Companies
  
• How Far Corporate Governance Has Come in Korea (And What’s Still Missing)
  
• The Future of the Chaebols

Session IV: Does Korea Have What It Takes to Become a Services-Oriented International Business Hub?

• Developing the Hub Mindset and Fostering an Entrepreneurial Environment
  
• The Labor Conflict: Assessing the Obstacles to Korea’s Hub Goal
  
• Enforcement of International Legal Standards
  
• Evaluating the Wisdom of the Business Hub Strategy
  Gala Dinner and Cultural Performance
  Hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government

Friday, May 14

Session V: The Impact of North Korea on the South and Beyond

• Prospects for Peace and Security on the Korean Peninsula
  
• The Impact of US-DPRK Relations on South Korea’s Business Climate
  
• Can Regional Security Cooperation Help Foster Regional Economic Cooperation?
  
• The Impact on Northeast China's Economy
  

Session VI: Prospects for Economic Integration in Northeast Asia and the Wider Region

• The Potential for a Comprehensive Trade Regime
  
• India and ASEAN: Carving Larger Niches in the Northeast Asian Economy
  
• Japan’s Role in Facilitating Regional Economic Cooperation
  
• The Burden of History: Confronting Enduring Hurdles to Economic Integration
  

Session VII: China in the Region

• China’s New Leaders: How They View China’s Role in the Region
  
• China’s Surging Regional Trade: How Investors and Multinationals Can Capitalize
  
• The Future of the Renminbi and its Impact on Asia's Economies
  
• The 2008 Olympics: A Boon for the Region?

Session VIII: Northeast Asia’s Economy: The Road Ahead

• Assessing Korea’s Long-Term Competitive Edge
  
• Northeast Asian Cooperation as a Potential Catalyst for the Japanese Economy
  
• Can Hong Kong, Seoul and Shanghai Play Complementary Roles in the Same Region?
  
• Understanding Northeast Asia’s Future Role in the Global Supply Chain
   
   

REGISTRATION:

To register, please print and fill out this registration form (PDF),
then fax to 212-517-8315.

You may also contact the Asia Society Box Office by phone: 212-327-9276
(M-F 10AM to 5PM EST) or email: boxoffice@asiasoc.org

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