James Kim, AmCham Chairman: "Empowering Women Essential for Sustainable Growth"

Special Luncheon Meeting for International Women's Day

The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) held a special luncheon meeting on the 6th at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul, in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Korea to mark International Women's Day (the 8th), announcing their ongoing commitment to promoting women's leadership and strengthening women's economic capabilities in Korea.

James Kim, Chairman and CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea. Photo by Asia Economy DB

James Kim, Chairman and CEO of AMCHAM, emphasized in his welcoming remarks that "empowering women economically is one of AMCHAM's core initiatives," adding, "I believe South Korea is now at the right moment to emerge as the regional headquarters for Asia. To realize this, economic growth that encompasses sustainability and inclusivity is crucial, and the enhancement of women's economic status must inevitably accompany it."

Joy Sakurai, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Korea, stated, "Companies that effectively leverage women's high adaptability, collaboration skills, mentoring abilities, as well as their economic status and independence, not only have greater growth potential but can also lead more effectively in a highly competitive environment."

A 2:3 panel discussion session was also held, co-chaired by James Kim and Christina Ahn, Client Partner at Conflery and co-chair of the AMCHAM Women’s Leadership Committee. Distinguished women leaders including Deputy Chief Joy Sakurai, Yum Myung-soon, President of Citibank Korea, and Lee Ji-young, CEO of Procter & Gamble Korea, participated as panelists, engaging in meaningful and in-depth conversations on various topics such as "Challenges in Male-Dominated Industries" and the phenomenon of the "Motherhood (Career Interruption) Penalty."

Meanwhile, the luncheon was organized to explore strategic measures for strengthening women's economic capabilities based on the journeys and experiences of each female leader in reaching their current positions.

AMCHAM has recognized the necessity of empowering women economically and has made multifaceted efforts to activate this. Earlier this year, it announced a board of directors list with more than 30% female members. Among the 34 board members, a record-high 11 women leaders joined.

Through this event, AMCHAM celebrated these achievements and declared that, together with the U.S. Embassy in Korea, it will continue steady efforts to promote women's leadership and strengthen women's economic capabilities in Korea. To this end, the "Women’s Leadership Subcommittee" will work to raise awareness of the importance of empowering women economically and support more women leaders to be active on the AMCHAM board.

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