27 October 2016 (Seoul, South Korea) — Nearly two years after the signing of the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement, the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) and the Seoul International Forum will co-host the Korea-Canada Forum in Seoul from Thursday, October 27 to Saturday, October 29 to take stock of the strategic partnership between the two countries.
This year’s forum will address key issues around trade and government relations between the countries, including East Asian security, technology innovation, Arctic cooperation and educational exchanges. This is the 14th time that the high-level group of business, think tank and academic leaders, as well as current and former government officials, meet for this forum.
“South Korea is a key strategic partner and priority market for trade and it maintains a long-standing and dynamic relationship with Canada,” said CIGI distinguished fellow and former Canadian ambassador to South Korea Len Edwards. “If Canada is to continue to engage meaningfully with its Northeast Asian allies, then it must commit to facilitating forums with local leaders in trade, business and academia that deepen ties and ask important questions about future challenges.”
The Canadian delegation this year includes, Stephen Toope, current director of the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto and, from October 2017, vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge in England, as well as Len Edwards, Canadian co-chair of the Korea-Canada Forum and former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Joseph Caron, Former Ambassador of Canada to China, Japan and India.
Also in attendance will be the Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yoon Byung-Se, as well as Jung Ku-Hyun, President of the Seoul Forum for International Affairs, and Yoon Young-kwan, Professor Emeritus, Seoul National University and former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Media Contacts:
A media briefing will be held during the Korea-Canada Forum. To attend the briefing or request an interview, please contact:
Sean Zohar, Communications Advisor
Tel: +1 519 497 9112
Email: [email protected]
Benoit Hardy-Chartrand, Senior Research Associate
Email: [email protected]
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