Session: Plenary Session 1
Date/Time: Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Location: Grand Ballroom I+II

Moderator:
Karen House, Harvard University

Speakers:
John Hamre, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Jia Qingguo, Peking University
Lee Sook Jong, Sungkyunkwan University
Nagamine Yasumasa, Anderson Mori & Tomotsune
Shin Kak Soo, NEAR Foundation
Soeya Yoshihide, Keio University

Panel Description:

It has been 80 years since Korea regained its independence from Japanese colonial rule. But liberation was soon followed by division and the Korean War. For 80 years, South Korea has tried to establish good relations with its neighbors. The foundation of its security is the alliance with the United States. It has also been 60 years since South Korea normalized relations with Japan. At the end of the Cold War, South Korea also established ties with China and Russia. Recently, however, South Korea's relations with its neighbors have been challenged by the return of great power competition, economic coercion, protectionism, populism, and history disputes. How should Korea manage its relations with its neighbors?