Emerging Voices on Korea Symposium: Korea: Energy and Economy

KEI held its last Emerging Voices on Korea Symposium. As part of its continuing efforts to highlight new thinkers on Korea, KEI has selected a group of talented students to present and develop their research interests. All presenters and papers were recommended by leading Asia professors and selected from an international pool. The third session of the symposium will focus on the important topics of energy and economy in Korea.

Often the energy needs for nations in Asia to sustain their development and help maintain their economic progress cannot be met domestically. Korea offers an interesting case as an Asian country importing its energy, especially coal, yet it is also investing in nuclear power to offset some of its energy needs. Moreover, South Korea’s successful development of its civilian nuclear program has led it to explore exporting its expertise and techniques, including providing development assistance to countries in Southeast Asia.

Energy needs impact an economy, but the global financial crisis also caused countries like Korea to examine policies that would help mitigate damages from a future economic collapse. For Korea, having faced the Asian Financial Crisis and the global financial crisis, examining its responses to these events, in particular the role of capital controls, will provide insightful lessons for the next financial disaster. South Korea’s policy approaches to its economy and its energy needs will be vital for its success in the 21st century.

Thus, the final part of the symposium three students working on energy and economy presented their papers, followed by an engaging discussion. 

Another Energy Competition in Northeast Asia: Coal Policies of South Korea and Japan in Comparative Perspective
Eunjung Lim, Johns Hopkins University SAIS

South Korea’s Nuclear Development Assistance in Southeast Asia: the Implications
and Challenges of the Security Environment in the 21st Century
Lisa He, Georgetown University

The Role of Capital Controls in Emerging Market Economies: A Study of the Korean Case, 1997-2011
June Park, Boston University

Moderator:
Abraham Kim, Ph.D., Vice President, Korea Economic Institute

Discussant:
Scott Snyder, Director, Center for U.S.-Korea Policy, The Asia Foundation

These papers were recommended by Kent Calder (Johns Hopkins SAIS), David Steinberg (Georgetown University), and William Grimes (Boston University).