By Choi Kyong-ae
Members of the Asia Journalist Association (AJA) and experts in politics, economics and other fields held talks Tuesday on ways of seeking sustainable growth in Asia while traveling on the KTX express train from Seoul to Cheonan in South Chungcheong Province.
“Four AJA journalists and dozens of experts had discussions about changes in Asia over the past 70 years following the end of World War II in 1945, and desirable roles of Asia-based journalists in the future,” AJA President Lee Sang-ki said.
The so-called KTX Peace Train Forum is the second event after an initial one that took place on Oct. 31 in 2009 on a two-way trip between the capital and Busan. This time, the train journeyed between Seoul and Cheonan, where participants paid a visit to the Independence Hall of Korea, he said.
In the era of integration among Asian countries, journalists are required to play a bigger role in reflecting on past changes in politics, economics, society and culture. Moreover, they have a duty to suggest measures that can be taken within Asian economies to catalyze growth in the next 30 years, AJA said.
After several decades of a rapid growth, Asian countries still remain the major growth driver in the global economy despite an economic slowdown in China, one of the G2 nations along with the United States.