Session Theme

[PLENARY SESSION 1]

Beltway Insiders Unveil a Preview to the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election in Seoul

Scheduled to be held about six months before this year's U.S. presidential election, the K.E.Y. PLATFORM 2024 will give you a preview of the election as if you were watching it locally in the United States. Experts from the Heritage Foundation, a leading American think tank, and The Raben Group, a Washington D.C.-based political and strategic consulting firm, will visit Seoul to share their insights at the K.E.Y. PLATFORM Conference. Emerging Europe, a leading European think tank, will also join to offer diverse perspectives on the impact of the U.S. election on the world.

Plenary Session 1 on the first morning of the 2024 K.E.Y. PLATFORM Conference will feature presentations on the U.S. presidential election and ROK-US-Japan Cooperation System covered by the K.E.Y. PLATFORM Special Coverage Team as well as in-depth discussions and insights from experts from Korea, the U.S., Japan, and Europe. We intend to present an agenda covering a range of fields including security, economy and trade, science and technology, and cultural exchange, particularly in relation to cooperation among the three countries.

More Cooperation with Japan and Friendly Relations with China

The experts we met pointed out that it is important to improve relations and strengthen solidarity between Korea and Japan in order to keep the ROK-US-Japan Cooperation System sustainable. In fact, Korea and Japan have great potential to expand their economic interests through cooperation. The first thing that they can do is to expand cooperation within such frameworks as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The K.E.Y. PLATFORM 2024 will explore various ideas for possible cooperation between Korea and Japan, including stabilizing the semiconductor supply chain, building an Asian digital infrastructure, coping with low birth rates and aging population, and supporting North Korea’s economic development.

We should continue to strengthen our alliance with the U.S. and cooperate with Japan. At the same time, we need to maintain friendly relations with China. We should reinforce strategic exchange and communication to achieve a future-oriented advancement of ROK-China relations. We need to avoid causing unnecessary conflicts, seek cooperation with a pragmatic approach, such as actively engaging in trade and investment, and work together to find new engines for development.

[PLENARY SESSION 2]

Advancing Korean Innovators, Together with The Korea Conference

The Plenary Session 2 on the last morning of K.E.Y. PLATFORM 2024 features a time to listen to the novel visions and strategies of innovative Korean companies striving to change the world.

Innovative companies develop new products, services, and technologies to drive the growth of the national economy and the development of diverse industries, contributing to job creation and improving national competitiveness. In the age of digital transformation, talent is more important than anything else, and innovators are all the more valuable as they tend to attract and retain outstanding talent. Talented people with enthusiasm and creativity for new technologies and ideas can help revitalize the nation's talent ecosystem and strengthen its economic capabilities by working and growing in innovative companies.

Plenary Session 2 will be hosted jointly with The Korea Conference, a global investment network representing Korea. The Korea Conference is a California-based non-profit organization that invites Korean innovators to the U.S. to showcase their innovative technologies and business models to the world's leading investors and supports them in their efforts to attract investment.

The Korea Conference benchmarked The Israel Conference committed to strengthening the Jewish network. The Israel Conference introduces Israel's cutting-edge innovations to large U.S. companies, bringing in multibillion-dollar investment contracts every year. The Korea Conference will present a panorama of innovation to you together with the K.E.Y. PLATFORM this year, as it did last year.

Korean Biotech's Leap into the Global Market: New Discoveries and Innovations

At Plenary Session 2, we will focus on the new challenges and achievements of innovative bio-tech companies. Biotech is one of Korea’s flagship industries following the footsteps of semiconductors and batteries. 2024 is a year when “K-bio” (Korean biotech) needs to take off again and is expected to do so. We need to take bold steps and rise up to the challenge by capitalizing on our digital strengths to succeed in the global market.

Innovative technologies such as AI, gene editing, and evolving medical devices will advance the biotech industry further. We need to move quickly to develop products and services that meet market needs using new technologies and platforms. K.E.Y. PLATFORM 2024 will be a good opportunity to find out the strengths of K-bio innovators taking a leap forward.

[SPECIAL SESSION 1]

Science and Technology Drives Innovation and the Future
A Vision for a Leap Forward in a New Era

Scientific and technological innovation is a key driving force leading our life in a better direction. It plays a very important role in solving a wide variety of social, economic, and environmental problems facing us and achieving sustainable development for the future. It is also essential in our efforts to explore new possibilities.

Innovative science and technology, such as the discovery of new treatments, the development of eco-friendly energy, and the construction of smart cities, can create social value in a wide range of fields. Scientific and technological innovations also serve to promote economic development. The development and commercialization of new technologies can nurture new industries and create jobs. Technological development enhances business competitiveness and innovatively transforms industrial structures.

Successful scientific and technological innovations require continuous investment and cooperation. At the national level, the government should aggressively pursue policies to foster strategic technologies and strengthen its talent nurturing system. It is important to nurture and support scientists, engineers, technicians, entrepreneurs, and other talented innovators. International R&D cooperation should also be strengthened as scientific and technological innovation often takes place at an international level.

Innovation is the most powerful tool for expanding our knowledge and experience and exploring the future. K.E.Y. PLATFORM 2024 seeks to find breakthroughs in scientific and technological innovation with the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Planning and Evaluation (KISTEP), a leading Korean think tank in scientific and technological innovation, and the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI), which is systematically building the infrastructure for Korea’s science and technology R&D.

[SPECIAL SESSION 2]

Waves to be Set Off by U.S. Presidential Election 2024
Patterns of Change and Policy Directions

The U.S. presidential election in November 2024 is expected to have diverse impacts on not only Korea but also the international community. Depending on whether the incumbent President Joe Biden, a Democrat, or a Republican candidate – most likely to be former President Donald Trump – wins the election, the direction of U.S. foreign policy could change drastically, which in turn could change the international situation. It will also have an impact on ROK-US relations as well as issues involving North Korea and China.

Changes in U.S. security policy in particular is a critical variable for regional security issues in the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia, and the Middle East. Depending on whether President Biden's current security policy is revised or how America re-establishes its alliances and cooperative relations with other countries, significant changes may be brought about on the international scene. US-China and US-Russia relations are something for us to keep an eye on, and the most important thing for us is the ROK-US alliance.

Moreover, any changes in U.S. economic policy could influence the global economy and financial markets. U.S. growth rates and monetary policy can cause a big stir in the global economy. Global issues such as climate change, pandemic response, and international trade will also be swayed largely by the directions of next U.S. president's policies.

The U.S. presidential election in 2024 will also spark great interest in Korea. It is important to pay keen attention to the policy direction and changes in the wake of the election outcome and understand their impact. The K.E.Y. PLATFORM 2024 intends to figure out how Korea should be prepared by looking into U.S. presidential elections and diagnosing the patterns of changes and policy directions in collaboration with PADO, a magazine launched last year to provide content featuring in-depth analysis of international politics.

[SPECIAL SESSION 3]

Establishment of Deep Tech Startups Leading Digital Innovation
Vision and Strategy for Success

Many companies, investors, and government agencies have recently been paying attention to Deep tech. Deep tech is a term coined by the U.S. venture capital industry to refer to the sophisticated technologies that delve deep into a specific technology. Recently, an increasing number of Korean companies are taking on challenges in a range of deep tech fields, such as autonomous driving, semiconductors, rockets, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Deep tech startups are characterized by the difficulty of imitating them, unlike other service startups. This is because they have patents on their own technologies and unparalleled achievements. They mainly build cutting-edge hardware and software based on engineering- and science-based R&D results, and promising startups are expected to grow in the following fields: △system semiconductors, △bio-health, △future mobility, △eco-friendly energy, △robotics, △big data and AI, △cybersecurity and networks, △aerospace and oceans, △next-generation nuclear power plants, and △quantum technology.

Deep tech startups are one of the major players in exploring the future and driving innovation. K.E.Y. PLATFORM 2024 seeks to find a vision and strategy for fostering and growing Korean deep tech startups with Korean and foreign experts. We will discuss ways to support diverse tasks, such as building an environment for creating a deep tech startup ecosystem, strengthening R&D infrastructure, nurturing talent, entering the market, raising funds, expanding business partnerships, and expanding into the global market.