Korean Industry Seeks Survival Strategies Amidst Global Crisis

The '2026 News1 Future Forum' will be held in Seoul on May 7th. This forum, which seeks the direction for the Korean economy and industry amidst a rapidly changing global economic order, is themed 'From Recovery to Leap: South Korea's Survival Strategy in a Normless International Order'. The main focus will be on presenting solutions that encompass both security and trade in complex crisis situations such as US-China competition, the Russia-Ukraine war, and Middle East risks.

The first session of the forum will feature lectures on the paradigm shift in alliances and responses to security crises. The US speaker will be Sydney Seiler, a Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Seiler, drawing on his 30 years of experience dealing with North Korean issues at the CIA and Director of National Intelligence (DNI), provided insights into alliance changes and the Korean Peninsula's security landscape during the Trump administration.

Session 2, 'The US and China, Global Economy: Finding New Paths for South Korea's Industry and Trade,' will analyze the structural challenges and opportunities facing Korean companies as the US-China tech hegemony competition spreads across advanced industries. Liu Zhongyuan, Senior Fellow at the National Bureau of Asian Research, will diagnose the rapid rise of China's technological innovation and industrial competitiveness based on policy finance, and analyze the reconfigured global supply chains and market order under US scrutiny. Through this, he will propose response strategies for Korean companies in key industries such as semiconductors, batteries, and artificial intelligence (AI). Liu is an expert in finance and international political economy, known for his research on the background of Chinese technological innovation through policy finance and projections of Chinese industrial competitiveness in the global market context.

Kwon Nam-hoon, President of the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade, will deliver a lecture on 'Changes in the Trade Environment and South Korea's Industrial Strategy in Response to Intensified Competition with China.' Kwon will present directions for structural transformation in Korean industries amid a rapidly changing trade environment, focusing on solutions such as mitigating dependence on China, selecting and concentrating on strategic industries, and strengthening industrial competitiveness through policy finance.

In a panel discussion moderated by Professor Kim Yang-hee of Daegu University, the previous two speakers will discuss the opportunities and risks arising from the prolonged US-China conflict. The discussion will continue on whether Korea can develop a 'proactive strategy' beyond mere reaction amidst increasing global market uncertainty. This session will provide strategic insights for businesses and the government, and the search for new avenues for the Korean economy in a turbulent international order will guide future industrial policy and corporate strategies.