China-South Korea Relations

China remains South Korea’s number one trading partner, having surpassed the United States in the mid-2000s. At this event we bring together experts from academia and business to discuss relations between the Republic of Korea and the People’s Republic of China, and what their improvement or worsening could mean for businesses.

About the event

As The Economist reported back in March about the delicate balancing act that President Yoon Suk-yeol must walk between China and the United States, "South Korea sends a quarter of its exports to China, making it vulnerable to coercion should its more forceful commitment to its Western partners irritate the government in Beijing."

Indeed, South Koreans remember with a flinch the trade retaliation it suffered from China when a US THAAD missile defence system was deployed here in 2017, the 25th anniversary of the two nations’ normalising diplomatic relations.

Nevertheless, China remains South Korea’s number one trading partner, having surpassed the United States in the mid-2000s. But trade ties continue to fray from time to time due to Seoul’s military alliance with Washington, as well as other issues such as accusations of cultural appropriation, abuse of Korea’s national health insurance system by relatives of Chinese labourers, illegal fishing, "theft" of Olympic medals, diplomatic bullying, and industrial espionage.

For this exclusive event, EICN will bring together experts from academia and business to discuss relations between the Republic of Korea and the People’s Republic of China, and what their improvement or worsening could mean for businesses.

Speakers

Sukhee Han

Professor and Associate Dean, Graduate School of International Studies at Yonsei University

Hanjin Park

Head of the Center for Economic Observation of Global China at KOTRA Global Academy

Jacco Zwetsloot

Network Moderator, Seoul at Economist Intelligence Corporate Network

Rodrigo González

Director – Tokyo of Economist Intelligence Corporate Network

Agenda

07:30 – 07:45 – Registration and Networking

07:45 – 08:00 – Breakfast

08:00 – 09:15 – Discussion

09:15 – 09:30 – Networking (Optional)

Event details

Venue

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul

97, Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu,
Seoul, Korea (South)

Meeting room details will be shared upon successful registration.

Contact

If you have any questions about this event, or joining EICN please send an email to ecn_northasia@economist.com

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