On 10 June, AustCham Korea co-hosted a sold-out breakfast seminar with the British Chamber of Commerce in Korea (BCCK) and KoreaPro at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, titled Korea’s New President: Risk, Renewal, and Regional Impact. The event brought together 70 participants from the business, diplomatic and policy sectors for a timely and thought-provoking discussion.

Held just one week after President Lee Jae-myung’s inauguration, the seminar offered a balanced, forward-looking assessment of the new administration. The panel featured Christian Davies (Seoul Bureau Chief, The Financial Times), Jeongmin Kim (Executive Director, Korea Risk Group), and Dr KyuJin Shim (Professor, IE University), moderated by AustCham Korea Senior Adviser Jacco Zwetsloot.

Topics included South Korea’s geopolitical positioning, trade policy, inter-Korean relations, and Lee’s early leadership picks. Panellists discussed Lee’s apparent rightward pivot, mixed foreign policy voices among appointees, and plans to revitalise Korea’s economic engines. All agreed the current transition presents both risks and opportunities for international business.

The event reaffirmed AustCham Korea’s commitment to apolitical, insightful dialogue on developments shaping the business environment. Follow AustCham Korea on LinkedIn and other SNS channels for updates on future briefings.