JoongAng Ilbo-CSIS Forum to cover 'The Polycrisis in 2024'

The JoongAng Ilbo will hold its annual international symposium, the JoongAng Ilbo-CSIS Forum 2024, with the Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the Korea Peace Foundation and JTBC in Seoul on March 4.

From left: John Hamre, Kim Sung-han, Shin Won-sik, Matt Pottinger, Mira Rapp-Hooper

The JoongAng Ilbo will hold its annual international symposium, the JoongAng Ilbo-CSIS Forum 2024, with the Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the Korea Peace Foundation and JTBC in Seoul on March 4.

Amid the ongoing hegemonic struggle between the United States and China, ties between North Korea, China and Russia continue to deepen while instability in the economic and security situation surrounding the Korean Peninsula shows no signs of relenting. On the other side of the world, the war in Ukraine has now entered its third year and the conflict between Israel and Hamas shows no sign of winding down, giving rise to a truly “polycrisis” situation. Further, South Korea is due to hold its general election in April, while the United States is approaching a presidential election in November.

The theme of this year’s forum is “The Polycrisis in 2024.” Matt Pottinger, former deputy national security advisor at the White House National Security Council (NSC) and the architect of the Trump administration’s China policy, will deliver the keynote speech.

The title of the first session is the “U.S.-R.O.K. Alliance and the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election,” while the themes of the second and third sessions are “How to Deal with North Korea-China-Russia” and “Post Camp David Summit: Economic Security and Supply Chain."

Experts from both Korea and the United States will provide their assessments on the current situation and suggest ways forward.

Spots at the forum will be made available on a first-come, first-serve basis according to order of registration.

The forum will be broadcast live on both the JoongAng Ilbo and JTBC News YouTube channels from 10 a.m. Monday. We look forward to your participation and views.

Time: Monday, March 4, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Location: The Shilla Seoul, Dynasty Hall

U.S. participants: Victor Cha, CSIS senior vice president for Asia and Korea chair; Jonathan Cheng, China Bureau chief at The Wall Street Journal; John Hamre, president and CEO of CSIS; Allison Hooker, former senior director for Asia at the White House National Security Council (NSC); Mira Rapp-Hooper, senior director for East Asia and Oceania at the NSC; Matt Pottinger, former deputy national security advisor at the White House NSC; and Randall Schriver, former assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs at the U.S. Department of Defense

Korean participants: Kim Sung-han, former presidential office national security advisor; Park Myung-lim, professor at Yonsei University and director of the Korea Peace Foundation; Bark Tae-ho, former trade minister; Shin Kak-soo, former vice minister of foreign affairs and trade; Defense Minister Shin Won-sik; Yun Byung-se, former foreign minister; Yoon Young-kwan, former foreign minister; Lee Jae-min, professor at Seoul National University’s School of Law; Prime Minister Han Duck-soo; and Hong Seok-hyun, chairman of JoongAng Holdings and the Korea Peace Foundation

Registration: Open through Feb. 29 here