Yonhap News to hold forum on economic cooperation between S. Korea, Japan

SEOUL, Oct. 13 (Yonhap) -- The Yonhap News Agency, South Korea's premier wire service, announced on Tuesday plans for a forum in November to strengthen economic cooperation between South Korea and Japan. The 2026 Future Economy Forum, themed "A fragmenting global economy, connecting Korean and Japanese markets," will convene in Seoul on November 3, facilitating discussions among business executives, policymakers, and academics from both nations.

The event aims to explore avenues for closer collaboration and shared prosperity amid mounting global uncertainties.

Yonhap's President and CEO, Hwang Dae-il, will kick off the forum with opening remarks, while Chey Tae-won, chairman of SK Group and Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) chairman, will deliver congratulatory remarks. Chey has long championed the establishment of a Korea-Japan economic community. Other speakers include Hiroaki Ishiguro, head of Lotte Holdings Co.'s global strategy division, LG Uplus Corp.'s Chief Technology Officer Lee Sang-yup, and former South Korean Foreign Minister Yoon Young-kwan, who heads the Asan Institute for Policy Studies.

The forum will feature three sessions, focusing on how Seoul and Tokyo can transcend competition and forge strategic partnerships, the prospects for a bilateral economic community, and strategies to collectively tackle challenges stemming from the rapid aging of populations. The event is set against the backdrop of global geopolitical tensions, including a rising U.S.-China rivalry and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, which have contributed to the fragmentation of global trade and supply chains.

The forum is supported by Japan's Kyodo News, South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and KCCI. Pre-registration for the forum is open from October 13 to 28. Launched in 2024, the Future Economy Forum focuses on South Korea's advanced industries, particularly semiconductors. Last year's forum explored economic cooperation between South Korea and Africa, emphasizing partnership opportunities in the continent.