Yoon to Emphasize 'Innovation Hub' and Collaboration on 'Supply Chain' Investment at Davos

Global CEO Meeting and Davos Special Speech
Likely to Propose 'Supply Chain Cooperation' as a Crisis Breakthrough Plan

[Zurich=Asia Economy Reporter Bae Kyunghwan] President Yoon Seok-yeol's 'sales diplomacy' has moved from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Switzerland. He is scheduled to attend the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting (WEF, Davos Forum) from the 18th to the 19th and will also meet with CEOs of major global companies both domestic and international. President Yoon plans to express his determination to make Korea a world-class innovation hub to them.

President Yoon's 'sales diplomacy' will begin on the first day. On this day, a luncheon meeting with CEOs of major global companies both domestic and international is planned. This luncheon was arranged to discuss solutions for supply chain stability, digital transformation, climate change response, and the roles of the private sector and government with business leaders attending the Davos Forum.

President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee arrived at Zurich International Airport on the afternoon of the 17th (local time). After disembarking from Air Force One, they greeted and shook hands with welcoming officials.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

On our side, major company representatives such as Lee Jae-yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics; Chey Tae-won, Chairman of SK; Chung Eui-sun, Chairman of Hyundai Motor; Koo Kwang-mo, Chairman of LG; Shin Dong-bin, Chairman of Lotte; Kim Dong-kwan, Vice Chairman of Hanwha; as well as the Deputy Prime Minister for Economy, and ministers of the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will attend. Globally, CEOs from various fields including Intel, IBM, Qualcomm, JP Morgan, Mubadala, Blackstone, BoA, Vista Equity Partners, Grab, Hitachi, Shell, Air Liquide, Total, Nestl?, TPG, and Lippo are expected to be present.

At this meeting, President Yoon plans to emphasize Korea as an 'innovation hub.' He will urge global CEOs to collaborate with Korean companies and expand investment in Korea. It is expected to reflect the determination to establish a cooperative framework between government and private sectors to lead innovation in the international market for overcoming complex crises and achieving sustainable growth.

This is also linked to the 'supply chain strengthening' topic that President Yoon will address in his special speech at the Davos Forum on the 19th. The strategy for supply chain restructuring and strengthening has been a matter President Yoon has consistently emphasized on domestic and international stages since his inauguration. Interlinked with the domestic economy, the government prioritizes strengthening supply chain cooperation in key industrial sectors as a top policy. A senior official from the Presidential Office stated, "President Yoon will deliver a speech on the direction of international cooperation to overcome the global economic crisis," adding, "He will impress upon the international community Korea's leading role and determination for this purpose."

To support the bid for the 2030 Busan Expo, a 'Korea Night' event is also planned. It will promote the 'Busan Initiative,' a customized international cooperation program, and Korean culture to influential figures gathered in Davos.

The final schedule of this tour includes a visit to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) to exchange views with scholars on quantum technology. ETH Zurich is one of Europe's top three physics research institutions, having produced world-renowned scientists such as Einstein. Another senior official from the Presidential Office introduced, "Quantum technology, which can dramatically increase computational speed compared to supercomputers, is a game changer bringing innovation to all industries and security. Competition among the United States, European Union (EU), Japan, and China to secure this technology is accelerating," adding, "Through this visit, we will exchange opinions on the success factors that made Switzerland a quantum technology powerhouse and strategies that our country, as a latecomer, should adopt, and establish a human network between scientists of both countries."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.