Nam Hyun-woo has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2013, mostly covering business and politics. He currently belongs to the Business Desk where he covers topics such as emerging tech, AI, ICT and Korea's chaebol community. Prior to joining the team, he was the paper's correspondent for the presidential office of Korea during the Yoon Suk Yeol and Moon Jae-in administrations.
Korea Times to host forum on Korean enterprises’ global expansion
Sir Martin Sorrell, founder and executive chairman of S4 Capital / Korea Times file
By Nam Hyun-woo
As Korean companies grapple with geopolitical uncertainty, supply chain shifts and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI), questions are growing over how they can transform themselves from export-driven manufacturers into globally competitive innovators.
To explore those challenges and opportunities, The Korea Times and GR Korea will jointly host a forum titled “Made in Korea: Global and AI Enablement” on June 9. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. at the Grand Hall of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in central Seoul.
Bringing together leading voices from business, government and academia, the forum will examine how Korea can leverage AI, technological innovation and industrial strengths to create globally competitive companies and redefine what “Made in Korea” means in the 21st century.
Featuring key experts and industry leaders, the event will serve as a platform to explore practical pathways for Korean companies to leverage AI not merely as a technology trend, but as a core driver of global expansion and competitiveness.
The opening speech will be delivered by Korea Times Vice Chairman Seung Ji-soo, while President Lee Jae Myung will send a congratulatory message.
Sir Martin Sorrell, founder and executive chairman of S4 Capital, will deliver a keynote speech titled “From local champions to global operators: How companies truly win across borders.”
Sorrell is widely regarded as one of the architects of the modern global advertising and marketing industry. His experience building global businesses across multiple markets is expected to provide insights for Korean companies seeking to expand beyond their home market.
The second keynote speech will be delivered by Cho Young-min, a partner at PwC Korea, on “How Korean firms should navigate global transformations in the AI era.”
The first session will explore where Korean companies should focus their efforts and how they can evolve from export-driven businesses into sustainable global players. The discussion will be moderated by American Chamber of Commerce in Korea Chairman James Kim. Aside from Sorrell, the forum will also feature Hanwha Ocean President Jung In-sub, SK Group head of research Park Suk-jung and PTC Vice President and Korea General Manager Alex Kim.
The second session will explore AI, K-beauty, K-content and other key strategic industries shaping Korea’s future. Moderated by Midas PE Partner Sung Lee, the discussion will feature panelists including Kakao Entertainment CEO Joseph Chang, Hansae CEO Kim Ik-whan, Leferi CEO Choi In-seok, TheApeSquad CEO Kim Young-ki and Sungkyunkwan University professor Hong Sung-eun, who will share their insights on the opportunities and challenges facing these sectors.
The event will offer simultaneous interpretation in English and Korean. Further inquiries are available at (02) 724-2265.