South Korea's Supply Chain Disruptions: A Conversation with Orville Schell
VIEW EVENT DETAILSIs Seoul Caught Between Beijing and Washington?
November 16, 2021 — In light of the recent diesel exhaust fuel (DEF) shortage in South Korea, Asia Society Korea invites you to a conversation with Orville Schell, the Arthur Ross Director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations at Asia Society, to discuss Korea's supply chain disruptions in the broader context of U.S.-China trade war in the region. Schell is a long-time China observer, author, journalist, and former Dean and professor at UC Berkeley. He is currently leading Asia Society’s COAL + ICE exhibition, which aims to visualize the climate crisis as a large-scale immersive experience. The Zoom conversation which is scheduled for November 16, 2021 at 10:30 AM KST will be moderated by Yvonne Kim, Executive Director of Asia Society Korea.
South Korea is one of the few countries in Asia that has long-standing historical ties with both Beijing and Washington. A critical alliance of the United States since the Korean War, Seoul finds itself in a precarious position as the U.S.-China rivalry intensifies across the region and spills over to impact the trade and technology policies of regional stakeholders. DEF, also known as “urea water,” is a strategic material in acutely short supply since Beijing banned the import of Australian coal from which urea is extracted — first as a retaliatory move against Australia for faulting Beijing over the pandemic.
Analysts have attributed this larger tension to the ongoing U.S.-China power struggle in the Indo-Pacific — with Washington trying to create a unified front of regional allies to balance against Beijing. While Seoul’s leverage is limited by its middle-power status, it serves to quietly bolster U.S. interests in a flashpoint of critical strategic value. As the region grows in importance, South Korea is expected to play a considerable role in helping prevent China from wielding outsize influence over Asia.
RSVP by November 15, 2021 to secure a virtual spot at [email protected].