24.11.2017 - 16:00

21st Duisburg East Asia Day

A New President in South Korea – Economic, Political and Social Challenges for President Moon Jae-in  |  Gerhard-Mercator-Haus, Lotharstr. 57  |  Fri, Nov. 24, 2017, 16–19.30 h

In spring of 2017, Moon Jae-in was elected the new President of the Republic Korea. His presidency faces several difficult challenges, but also opportunities for South Korea. Threats in the field of foreign affairs are particularly noteworthy, foremost the tensions on the Korean peninsula, with North Korea testing new rockets and nuclear bombs and rocking the delicate relations with the US, China, Japan, Russia and others in the region. The unpredictability of the Trump administration in the US with respect to the bilateral security and economic relations does not make life easier for Moon and his cabinet. On the domestic front, the president has to think about how to support the flagging economy. At the same time, the population expects him to address issues of economic fairness and equality, doing something decisive about curtailing the role of the domineering business conglomerates (chaebol). After Moon’s predecessor, Park Geun-hye, has been ousted from office by parliament and the Supreme Court because of misconduct, it will not be an easy task to regain the trust of the population in government.
Still, it would not be the first time in history that South Korea has successfully overcome severe difficulties. The panel will try to evaluate these issues, but also look at the implications for German and wider European relations with the Republic of Korea during the forthcoming years.

Please register by November 20, 2017: Stefanie Ridder, events@in-east.de

PROGRAM

16.00  WELCOME
Axel Klein, Director, IN-EAST
Greetings:
Ulrich Radtke, Rector, University of Duisburg-Essen
Manfred Osenger, Mayor, City of Duisburg
Keum Chang-rok, Consul General, Head of Bonn Office, Embassy of the Republic of Korea

16.30  Introduction to the Issues
Werner Pascha

16.45  PANEL DISCUSSION
Werner Pascha, Chair, IN-EAST
Choi Sun-kung, University of Groningen
Gerhard Eschenbaum, Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Düsseldorf
Patrick Köllner, GIGA Institute for Asian Studies, Hamburg
Park Sang-young, Visiting Professor at IN-EAST

18.15–19.30  RECEPTION
hosted by Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Bonn

Download of the invitation flyer:
https://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/in-east/events/ead/ostasientag_2017_flyer.pdf