[Notice] Hankyoreh’s Asia Future Forum to explore ‘navigating the great upheaval’

The Hankyoreh’s 17th Asia Future Forum will be held on Oct. 28 under the theme “Navigating the Great Upheaval: The Road to a Leading Nation,” exploring ways to build a sustainable society and a more inclusive community.

 We are living through a transitional era in which deep fissures are emerging in the traditional rules and structures. As the international order frays and stable employment becomes increasingly uncertain, geoeconomic conflicts, protracted wars, crises in community life, and the growing anxiety of an “every person for themselves” mentality are filling the void. Adding to these pressures is the rapid advance of artificial intelligence. 

 This year’s forum will examine how Korea can become a leading nation: what should it prepare for the sake of community coexistence, especially during a great upheaval that is upending international order and overlaps with the AI transition?

 The morning session will assess the changes to our international order and ponder over the direction Korea ought to take.

 Amitav Acharya, a distinguished professor of international relations at American University and author of “The Once and Future World Order,” will explore the options available to Korea in an increasingly pluralistic international system without a single dominant hegemon.  

 Kim Heung-kyu, the chancellor of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, and Kim Yang-hee, an economics professor at Daegu University and head of the National Economic Advisory Council’s economic security division, will discuss Korea’s strategies for diplomacy and economic security.

 Lee Keun, the honorary president of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, will moderate a debate on Korea’s trajectory in this era of geopolitical turmoil.

 The afternoon session will explore policies and plans that should be taken when confronted with the threats of AI, with speakers working together to debate how we will be able to resolve labor issues for the people living in this day and age.

 Rep. Cha Ji-ho of the Democratic Party of Korea will talk about what it takes to become a leading AI country, which also encompasses the direction we should take as an “AI basic society,” before engaging in dialogue with Lee Ju-hyeon, a senior staff reporter at the Hankyoreh Human and Digital Institute. 

 Nabiha Syed, the executive director of the Mozilla Foundation, and Kweon Ohyeon, the chair of the Parti Cooperative and member of the Presidential Council on National Artificial Intelligence Strategy’s AI division, will explore the rise of democratic AI and how we can go beyond Big Tech.

 Kim Jong-jin, the director of the Korea Worker Institute, will take stock of youth labor policies, while Byun Geum-seon, the director of the Population Change Policy Research Center, will moderate a roundtable on measures to alleviate problems faced by young people in work. 

 Sim Chae-kyung, the head of the Center for Planetary Exploration at the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI), who investigates the order of space, will give a special lecture on how we can stay true to ourselves even in the face of astronomical changes.

 In parallel sessions that will take place separately from the main session, discussions focusing on building reciprocal networks to strengthen local communities, and the socialization of assets and the future of impact finance will be held.   

 Registration for the Asia Future Forum is open now at https://www.asiafutureforum.kr.