Latest news with #aSustainableTomorrow
Korea Herald
15-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
APEC trade ministers' meeting kicks off on S. Korea's Jeju Island
A trade ministers' meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation member economies kicked off Thursday on South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju to address challenges the global trade is facing amid the rise of protectionist policies. The APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting will be held through Friday at the International Convention Center in southern Jeju, under the theme "Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect, Innovate, Prosper," according the Seoul's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Top trade officials from the 21 APEC members are taking part in the two-day event, as well as senior officials from the World Trade Organization and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The meeting will mainly discuss three agenda items -- artificial intelligence innovation for trade facilitation, connectivity through multilateral trading system and prosperity through sustainable trade. This year's event draws keen attention as major APEC member nations are currently undergoing trade negotiations with Washington after US President Donald Trump began implementing sweeping tariff policies earlier this year. "Today, the global environment surrounding APEC economies faces an array of challenges," South Korean Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo said in an opening speech, highlighting uncertainties in trade and supply chains. "International organizations such as the WTO and International Monetary Fund have downgraded their projections for global trade and economic growth," he added. "Given this challenging global trade environment, the role of APEC is more crucial than ever ... and the world is paying keen attention to this year's MRT meeting." South Korean Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Duk-geun plans to hold talks Friday with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the sidelines of the MRT meeting. The two sides are expected to discuss follow-up measures to the high-level trade consultations held in Washington last month, where the countries agreed to craft a "package" deal on US tariffs and economic cooperation issues by early July. The Trump administration imposed country-specific reciprocal tariffs, including 25 percent duties on South Korea, effective from April 9, only to place a 90-day pause on them shortly afterward to allow for negotiations. Seoul has proposed expanding bilateral cooperation in the shipbuilding and energy sectors as part of efforts to lower US tariffs on Korean goods, according to government officials. Observers' eyes are also on the possibility of a meeting between Greer and China's new trade representative, Li Chenggang, during the Jeju event. Earlier this week, the US and China jointly announced they have reached a deal in a high-stakes dialogue in Geneva to temporarily reduce tariffs for 90 days for further negotiations. Under the agreement, the US slashed its tariffs on Chinese goods to 30 percent from 145 percent, while Chinese tariffs on US goods have been brought down to 10 percent from 125 percent. Meanwhile, South Korea plans to hold bilateral meetings with trade chiefs of some 15 APEC economies throughout the event, according to the ministry. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
APEC education leaders gather in Korea to tackle learning gaps in digital era
SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island — Education leaders and global experts from across the Asia-Pacific region gathered Wednesday on Jeju Island for the 7th APEC Education Ministerial Meeting, opening a high-level dialogue on advancing inclusive and sustainable education in the era of digital transformation. Hosted by South Korea's 2025 APEC chairmanship, the meeting brought together some 200 participants, including ministerial delegations from 20 out of 21 APEC member economies. The forum convened for the first time in nine years, with the aim of shaping a shared vision for education systems that can adapt to rapid technological and social change. This year's meeting is held under the theme: 'Bridging Educational Gaps and Promoting Sustainable Growth in the Era of Digital Transformation: Innovate, Connect, Prosper,' aligning with the broader APEC 2025 motto of 'Building a Sustainable Tomorrow.' In his keynote remarks at the opening ceremony, acting President and Education Minister Lee Ju-ho emphasized the need to close educational gaps and build a sustainable society where people and technology grow together. Lee highlighted that APEC's legacy of overcoming crises, from the 1997 Asian financial crisis to the COVID-19 pandemic, must now evolve to address unprecedented challenges such as digital disruption, climate change and demographic shifts. 'This meeting should mark a turning point for deeper APEC cooperation in education,' Lee said, adding that rapid digital transformation and the rise of artificial intelligence have brought humanity to a moment of civilizational challenge that requires renewed global collaboration in education. He emphasized that 'people are at the center of all change,' and that learning and growth are key to not only national competitiveness but also the sustainable prosperity of the global community. Lee introduced South Korea's recent education reforms, including the implementation of AI-based digital textbooks that aim to tailor learning to each student's pace and needs. He also pointed to universities' roles as regional innovation hubs working with industries and public institutions to solve community problems. Commemorating the 30th anniversary of Korea's 5·3·1 Education Reform Plan, a landmark initiative involving cross-sectoral collaboration, Lee said the country's experience demonstrates how bold policy shifts can guide education over generations. While acknowledging different evaluations of the reforms, he noted that the early visions of globalization and digitalization are now being realized. Highlighting South Korea's own experience of achieving both economic growth and social development with the landmark '5·3·1 Education Reform' of 1995, Lee said bold policy shifts can guide education over generations. "118 revolutionary tasks, as a whole, have been an educational compass over the seven administrations," Lee said, noting that while political perspectives may differ, 'there is a general consensus that the reform laid the foundation for digitization and globalization. He called on APEC members to share challenges and strategies openly, affirming that education does not develop in isolation and that cooperation built on mutual respect and shared practice is the only path toward achieving inclusive learning for all. The AEMM is expected to yield a joint statement among participating economies reaffirming commitments to addressing educational inequality and promoting collaboration amid technological advancement.
Korea Herald
29-04-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Korea to host 2nd APEC Senior Officials' Meeting on Jeju Island
South Korea will host the second high-level preparatory meeting for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation on Jeju Island, where it will present detailed plans for advancing discussions on key deliverables such as artificial intelligence cooperation and a joint response to demographic shifts, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said Tuesday. The second Senior Officials' Meeting, a high-level consultative body for discussions among APEC member economies, and related meetings will be held from May 3 to 16, during which more than 3,000 delegates and secretariat personnel are expected to gather on Jeju Island. The second SOM, to be held on May 13 and 14, will serve as a venue for concrete and detailed discussions, building on the first SOM in March in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. During the first SOM, 21 APEC member economies agreed to place cooperation on AI-related issues and co-responses to demographic shifts at the forefront of the agenda — topics that have never before taken center stage at the regional economic forum — and designated them as key deliverables for this year's APEC summit. "In particular, the Korean government plans to present detailed content and directions regarding 'AI cooperation' and 'responding to demographic changes' at the upcoming SOM and related meetings as well as to exchange views with other member economies," the Seoul ministry said. "Through the process, we expect to make progress in producing tangible outcomes for the leaders' summit." South Korea will host the APEC summit from late October to early November in the historic city of Gyeongju under the theme 'Building a Sustainable Tomorrow.' The 2025 APEC will mark South Korea's first time hosting the event in 20 years since it was last held in Busan in 2005. Prior to the second SOM, South Korea will host the Ocean-Related Ministerial Meeting in Busan from Wednesday to Thursday, marking the start of this year's series of sectoral ministerial meetings in connection with this year's APEC summit, the Foreign Ministry said. South Korea plans to host 14 sectoral ministerial meetings and high-level dialogues ahead of the APEC summit this year. The South Korean government aims to lead discussions on strengthening regional cooperation and addressing global challenges in each sector, according to the Foreign Ministry in Seoul. Among them, a total of four ministerial meetings are scheduled for the first half of the year, including those on labor and employment, education and trade, to be held on Jeju Island. Each sectoral meeting aims to adopt a joint ministerial statement outlining specific areas of cooperation.
