Skip Navigation Skip to Content Skip to Footer

09:00 – Registration & Networking

09:30 Opening Ceremony

Opening remarks by:

  • UN Secretary General and Bynum Tudor Fellow Mr Ban Ki-Moon
  • Kellogg College President Professor Jonathan Michie OBE
  • Republic of Korea Vice Minister for Strategy and Intelligence Jeong Yeondoo
  • UK Ambassador to Republic of Korea Colin Crooks LVO

Venue: Namsan I

Dress code: Business casual

SESSION I

The World We’re In

From a global tariff war to Ukraine, Venezuela, and now Iran, the world today sure feels more chaotic than ever. Bringing together perspectives from government, diplomacy, and academia, this session seeks to make sense of the turbulence. What forces are driving this moment—and what might a new world order look like?

  • Time: 10:00 – 11:00
  • Venue: Namsan I
  • Convenor: Baroness Jan Royall (Former Leader of the House of Lords)

Speakers

  • Dr Philip Gordon, Former National Security Advisor to Vice President of United States
  • Dr Jin Park, Former South Korean Foreign Minister
  • Professor Anand Menon, Director of UK in a Change Europe

SESSION II

The Korean Peninsula: Living with the Impasse?

The Korean Peninsula remains one of the most complex geopolitical flashpoints in the world. This panel examines how evolving regional dynamics—ranging from great-power rivalry to shifting security alignments—are reshaping policy options for both Koreas and their partners.

  • Time: 11:15 – 12:15
  • Venue: Namsan I
  • Convenor: Ambassador Kim Sook, Former Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations and Executive Director of the Ban Ki-moon Foundation for a Better Future

Speakers:

  • Ambassador Hyeong-jin Kim, Former Republic of Korea Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union
  • Professor Jung-Hoon Lee, Professor of International Relations and Dean of the Graduate School of International Studies, Yonsei University.
  • Professor Byung-yeon Kim, North Korea specialist and Professor of Economics, Seoul National University

Networking Lunch

  • Time: 12:15 – 13:30
  • Teas & Coffees: 13:30 – 14:00
  • Venue: Namsan III

SESSION III

The Rise of K-Culture

From K-pop and cinema to contemporary art and television, South Korea’s cultural influence has expanded dramatically across the globe. This panel explores the forces behind the extraordinary global rise of the Korean Wave, or Hallyu, and how creative industries have become a key part of Korea’s soft power.

  • Time: 14:00 – 15:00
  • Venue: Namsan I
  • Convenor: Ms Kristie Lu Stout, Anchor and Correspondent for CNN

Speakers:

  • Mr Patrick Lee, Director of Frieze Seoul
  • Mr Hyun Park, CEO of Alquimista Media, International Media Executive and Television Producer
  • Mr Hoon Pyo (Tim) Jeon, Investor, Black Label Inc

SESSION IV

AI & the Future of Humanity

As artificial intelligence transforms economies, institutions, and everyday life at unprecedented speed, this panel asks a fundamental question: how will it change what it means to be human? How can we shape the development and governance of AI so that it expands human flourishing and strengthens social norms, rather than eroding the qualities that define our humanity?

  • Time: 15:15 – 16:15
  • Venue: Namsan I
  • Convenor: Professor Max Van Kleek, Associate Professor of Human-Computer Relations at University of Oxford

Speakers:

  • Mr Daehyun Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Global AI Center, Samsung Research
  • Professor Alice Haeyun Oh, School of Computing, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

SESSION V

Korea: From Fast Follower to Innovation Leader

South Korea’s rapid transformation from post-war recovery to a global innovation powerhouse offers powerful lessons for the world. This panel examines how Korea continues to shape emerging sectors while navigating new challenges. It also considers what leadership means for Korea today and beyond —not only driving innovation at home, but contributing to the rules, partnerships, and ideas that will shape the global future.

  • Time: 16:30 – 17:30
  • Venue: Namsan I

Convenors:

  • Ms Katie Wilson, Head of Economics, British Embassy Seoul
  • Professor Jonathan Reynolds, Associate Professor in Retail Marketing and Deputy Dean of Saïd Business School
  • Professor Yongseok Shin, Executive Vice President and Head of Business Intelligence Institute at Hyundai Motor Group
  • Professor Gi-wook Shin, William J. Perry Professor of Contemporary Korea at Stanford University

Gala Dinner

  • Champagne Reception: 18:30
  • Dinner: 19:00
  • Toasts: 19:40
  • Carriages: 21:00
  • Dress code: Formal attire or national dress
  • Venue: Grand Hyatt Seoul