Korea Times Forum to highlight the value of diversity, equality and inclusion

From the left, Minister of Patriot and Veterans Affairs Kang Jung-ai; Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mi-ryung; and Minister of SMEs and Start-ups Oh Young-ju / Courtesy of the Ministries

Ministers and leaders from the private and public sectors will share their views at the forum on June 5

Author: Anna J. Park

Next week, The Korea Times will host a forum on the growing importance of diversity, inclusion and equality in Korean society. The forum will be held on Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Seoul.

Titled “Towards Diversity, Inclusion and Equality,” the forum aims to explore the policies and support measures needed to strengthen these values ​​in the country’s public and private sectors.

Inviting the country’s top policymakers as speakers, as well as leaders from various sectors of a vibrant economy to join the discussion as panelists and moderators, the forum plans to share valuable insights on achieving balanced representation and diversity.

Gender balance is crucial in the public sphere as it fosters an inclusive society where different perspectives are respected, thereby maximizing human potential and creativity. In the private sector, women’s skills and participation in economic life are even more important for achieving better management results. These discussions are particularly relevant in Korea, where the gender pay gap remains one of the highest among OECD countries.

The three incumbent ministries – Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Kang Jung-ai, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mi-ryung and Minister of SMEs and Start-ups Oh Young-ju – will deliver congratulatory speeches at the forum. They will present government policy objectives to promote social inclusion and balanced gender representation.

Following the ministers’ speeches, Reform Party lawmaker Lee Jun-seok, a Harvard graduate recognized for his efforts to change Korea’s political landscape, and award-winning violinist Han Soo-jin will share their visions and ideas on the forum’s key topics in keynote presentations.

The forum will also feature two rounds of in-depth sessions to discuss practical measures and valuable insights on achieving diversity in both the public and private sectors.

In the first session, moderated by Park Jung-sook, Secretary General of the World Organization for Smart Sustainable Cities (WeGO), the discussion will focus on adopting diverse perspectives and increasing women’s representation in the public sector. Panelists include Kim Eun Mee, president of Ewha Womans University; Huh Myung, chairwoman of the Korean National Council of Women; Tamara Mawhinney, Canadian Ambassador to Korea; and Colin Crooks, British Ambassador to Korea.

In the second session, Blackstone Advisors Korea president Ha Yung-ku will lead discussions on women’s empowerment in the corporate environment with panelists including Citibank Korea CEO Yoo Myung-soon, Korea Network of Women in Finance chairperson Kim Sang-kyung, Korean-German President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Martin Henkelmann, and Executive Director of the British Chambers of Commerce in Korea, Lucinda Walker.

Simultaneous translation will be available.