Hyundai Motor to sponsor Korea-US-Japan leadership forum

About 100 prominent figures from each country’s public and private sectors to gather Wednesday in Seoul

Headquarters of Hyundai Motor Group in Seoul (Hyundai Motor Group)

Hyundai Motor Group announced Tuesday that it will sponsor the second Trilateral Executive Dialogue, or TED, a leadership seminar between South Korea, the United States and Japan, set to take place at Grand Hyatt Seoul on Wednesday.

TED, which held its first gathering in San Francisco last year, aims to explore opportunities for democracy and shared prosperity through in-depth discussions on expanding the trilateral ties’ comprehensive mutual benefits such as economic development and national security.

According to Hyundai Motor, the leadership seminar is co-hosted by five prominent international think tanks: Woodrow Wilson Center, Hudson Institute, 21st Century Policy Institute, Indo-Pacific Forum and the East Asia Foundation.

Hyundai Motor said it shares the values of TED and decided to contribute to the public-private cooperation between the three countries as the main sponsor of the event.

About 100 key figures from the three countries’ governments, assemblies and corporations are expected to gather at this year’s trilateral event.

From the Korean side, Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun, Poongsan Chairman Ryu Jin who also serves as the head of the Federation of Korean Industries, HD Hyundai Vice Chairman Chung Ki-sun and SK On Vice Chairman Yu Jeong-joon will take part in the leadership event.

From the US side, seven senators including Bill Hagerty and Chris Coons, as well as Morgan Ortagus, former spokesperson for the State Department; Philip Goldberg, the US Ambassador to South Korea; Alex Rogers, president of Qualcomm Technology Licensing and Global Affairs; and Harold Hamm, founder and executive chairman of Continental Resources will attend the seminar.

“Now it’s more essential than ever for South Korea, the US and Japan to strengthen their economic, diplomatic and strategic relations continuously,” said Hagerty, expressing gratitude for the leadership of the Hyundai Motor Group chief in sponsoring this event.

From the Japanese side, the CEOs of Toyota, Denso, Nippon Electric Company, and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone will be present at this year’s TED.

Wednesday’s sessions will cover topics such as strategic trade and investment, energy cooperation, and the role of technology and the private sector in promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific. Open communications and exchanges among the participants from the three countries will follow.

Hyundai Motor Group plans to offer participants an opportunity to experience the harmony of traditional and modern Korean culture through Korean cuisine, traditional music, hanok architecture and the automaker’s premium brand Genesis.

“It is meaningful to support an important event designed to solidify the strategic partnership further and create a new future-oriented relationship between Korea, the US and Japan,” said a Hyundai Motor Group official.

“We will continue to play our role as a global mobility leader to contribute to sustaining economic and cultural ties between the three countries.”

By Kan Hyeong-woo(hwkan@heraldcorp.com)