Biz summit to become integral part of G20 process

Song Kyung-jin, special adviser to Presidential Committee for the G20 Summit Chairman Sakong Il, talks to The Korea Times about the G20 preparations at the committee office in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, on Aug. 17.

/ Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia

The upcoming G20 Summit is a significant opportunity for Korea to play a major role in determining the direction of the global economy.

``The G20 Summit is very significant because we (Korea) are now part of the major global economic governance group which will provide direction and vision for the global economy,’’ Song Kyung-jin, special adviser to the Presidential Committee for the G20 Summit Chairman Sakong Il, told The Korea Times, at a coffee shop near her office in Samcheong-dong, last week.

Song, who has been described by Sakong as the person who is most knowledgeable about details regarding the summit, said the G20 has an important role in leading the world economy at this critical juncture.

While there are skeptics who question the effectiveness of the G20 process, Song said there is no doubt that world leaders’ efforts at the summits in Washington, London, Pittsburgh and Toronto in the last two years have contributed to the stabilization of the global economy.

``Leading experts and economists are saying they don’t think there would be a double dip recession... The world is still recovering, there's no question about it. But the speed of recovery differs from country to country,’’ she said.

Song is right is in the middle of preparations for the G20 Seoul Summit, the first time a non-G7 member state and an Asian country is at the helm of the summit.

One of the unique aspects of the event is the G20 Seoul Business Summit, which will bring together the world’s most prominent and influential businessmen in November. While a business summit was held in Toronto, Song said Seoul Business Summit is much more substantial and includes over 100 prominent businessmen from both G20 and non-G20 countries.

``Our idea is to make this (G20 Seoul Business Summit) an integral part of the whole G20 process. We would like to have specific themes on trade and investment, finance, green growth, and corporate social responsibility... The CEOs will be the conveners at the summit and that’s why they're so intrigued by this. The CEOs themselves will be speaking, not someone else,’’ Song said.

There is a high possibility this business summit would eventually be continued by future G20 Summit host countries. ``The next G20 host country, France, has given good feedback, so there is a good possibility it will be continued. And Mexico, there is a high chance that this business summit would be part of the G20 summit process,’’ she said.

Song has been part of the G20 Summit preparations from the very beginning, having been appointed as counselor to Sakong, who was then the head of the G20 Summit Korea Coordinating Committee in 2009.

``It’s very challenging,’’ Song said about working with Sakong, a former finance minister and veteran economist. ``But it’s great because you can get a lot of exposure to meeting various influential policymakers from different countries. You can actually feel like you're in the middle of something that's shaping the new global economic governance. Without doubt he's very demanding but it cannot compare to what you can learn from working with him.”

Song’s experience in dealing with international labor issues while working for the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions in the early 2000s have served her well for her current job.

``The world was quickly changing with the emergence of China and emerging markets. I was a bit sad that Korea was not a part of the discussions and dynamic change in the global power structure. So I decided to come back to Korea and do something for the country... That experience has transformed me into adjusting to the G20 issues. I've been lucky to be part of the G20 discussions from the very beginning,’’ she said.

Song is familiar with dealing with the media, since she worked as the foreign press spokesperson at the Ministry of Finance from 2004 to 2008. But she admits not being too comfortable talking about herself. ``I don’t know what to say,” she said, with a laugh.

It is obvious Song prefers to work behind the scenes instead. A typical day starts at 7:30 a.m. at her office in Samcheong-dong, where she checks the always full email inbox, not just her own, but Sakong’s as well. Then she scans the domestic and international newspapers for the day’s most pressing issues and current events.

``Dr. Sakong would say that without reading the international papers, there's something missing from his day. I like to emulate him,’’ she said.

Being a woman climbing up the ranks of the Korean government is no easy feat. While gender equality is a hot issue these days, Song is fully aware that Korean society has a long way to go to achieve this.

Speaking from her own experience, Song believes women should do their best in the workplace and not be afraid of standing up for themselves, especially if they believe they are right.

``You have to put in 200 percent effort, a lot more than your male counterparts. You have to be strong and aggressive. If you do, some people may not appreciate it but you should not be dissuaded. Sometimes you get some criticisms just because you are a woman trying very hard. But you have to be good at your job, that’s the bottom line,” she said.

Who is Song Kyung-jin?

Prior to joining the Presidential Committee for the G20 Summit, Song Kyung-jin was counselor to Sakong Il, chairman of the Presidential Council on National Competitiveness, from 2008 to 2009. She also served as the foreign press spokeswoman at the Ministry of Finance and Economy from 2004 to 2008.

Song worked for the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions ― Asian and Pacific Regional Organization from 1999 to 2004, and the Korea International Labor Foundation from 1997 to 1999.

Song obtained a doctorate in Communications Studies from University of Kansas and a master’s degree in Bilingual Education from Boston University. She received a bachelor’s degree in English from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.