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| Heads of the nation's four largest conglomerates have a conversation at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry headquarters in Seoul in this January 2020 file photo. From left are SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun and Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong. Yonhap |
By Park Jae-hyuk
Heads of the nation's largest conglomerates are expected to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) from Jan. 16 to 20 next year in Davos, Switzerland, to talk with global leaders about countermeasures against inflation, supply chain crises and geopolitical issues, according to industry officials, Monday.
They are also said to be promoting Busan to the forum's participants, so that Korea's second-largest city can be selected by members of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) next November as the venue to host World Expo 2030.
In addition to SK Group and Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Chairman Chey Tae-won, who has participated in the WEF almost every year, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo and Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin are among the potential participants in the forum.
The Samsung Electronics chairman has not participated in the WEF since 2007. The Hyundai Motor Group executive chair attended the event in January 2020, right before the start of the pandemic. The annual event was canceled last year due to COVID-19. It was postponed to May this year for the same reason.
Industry officials regard POSCO Group Chairman Choi Jeong-woo, Hanwha Solutions Vice Chairman Kim Dong-kwan, HD Hyundai CEO Chung Ki-sun, Hyosung Group Vice Chairman Cho Hyun-sang and Korea Enterprises Federation Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik as additionally possible participants.
The SK Group chairman's younger brother, SK On Executive Vice Chairman Chey Jae-won, and the Hanwha Solutions vice chairman's two younger brothers ― Hanwha Life Insurance Vice President Kim Dong-won and Hanwha Hotels & Resorts executive Kim Dong-seon ― also seem set to attend the WEF.
In addition, the KCCI will host the Korean Night event on the sidelines of the forum to introduce the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's economic policies and Korea's advanced technologies, and to ask the forum's participants to support Busan's bid to host World Expo 2030. Korean business tycoons will reportedly participate in the event.
"The list of the attendees is not confirmed yet," a KCCI official said.
Two weeks before the WEF kicks off, CES 2023 will attract Korean business leaders.
The SK Group chairman will reportedly participate in the world's largest electronics show in Las Vegas for the first time since his appointment as chairman, along with SK On Executive Vice Chairman and SK Supex Council Chairman Cho Dae-sik.
The HD Hyundai CEO is also expected to attend the CES again next year, following his debut at the event earlier this year. Top executives of Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics will also take part in the show to vie with the world's leading IT firms.
At this moment, it is still unclear whether or not the Samsung Electronics chairman will attend the event. He is said to be planning to visit Vietnam this week, following his trip to the Middle East earlier this month.
Between 2007 and 2013, he participated in the CES for seven years straight. If he participates in next year's event, it will be the first time he attends an international event since his appointment as chairman in October.
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