The Asia Society Policy Institute’s Building Trade Ties with South Korea’s Emerging Female Leaders program is designed to empower female professionals from the Republic of Korea with a keen interest and experience in international trade. Through an intensive professional development initiative, the program aims to nurture essential skills and competencies for effective trade negotiations and broader engagement in the field of international trade. It also seeks to foster a deeper understanding of trade negotiations and policymaking while providing invaluable mentorship and guidance to promote women’s empowerment in professional settings.

In its fourth iteration, the program has continued to flourish, building upon the successes of previous in-person programs held in 2019 and 2022, as well as a virtual program delivered in 2021 during the global pandemic. This continuation has been made possible through the generous support of the Korea Foundation. This year’s program included an intensive weeklong program in the U.S., featuring meetings and discussions with various inspiring current and former U.S. officials, trade experts, and accomplished female leaders spanning finance, media, and technology sectors in Washington, D.C. and New York City.

The Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) was pleased to host the fourth cohort of the Emerging Female Leaders Program, which included:

• Minkyoung Park, Manager, Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency
• You Jin Lee, Senior Researcher, Korea International Trade Association
• Soojung Park, Senior Deputy Director, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
• Jung Yoon Kim, Senior Deputy Director, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
• Hyewon Oh, Deputy Director, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
• Chaewon Lee, Deputy Director, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
• Dahye Hong, Deputy Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Na Eun Lee, Government Affairs and Public Policy Manager, Google Korea

ACTIVITIES

Washington, D.C. (July 10 – July 12)

Due to an unexpected flight cancellation, the Emerging Female Leaders program participants arrived in Washington, D.C. on the first day of the program. Despite this hiccup, they swiftly engaged in informative sessions with former and current U.S. government officials and private-sector trade experts. These sessions enhanced their comprehension of international trade negotiations and U.S. trade policies, while also shedding light on the roles of the U.S. Congress and other stakeholders in global trade.

During their time in Washington, D.C., the participants took part in a training workshop on Negotiations 101 led by Wendy Cutler, Vice President of ASPI and former Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative. Additionally, they had the privilege of meeting with senior female trade experts, including Tami Overby, Former President of the U.S.-Korea Business Council; Lisa Schroeter, Global Director of Trade and Investment Policy at The Dow Chemical Company; Catherine Novelli, Professor at Georgetown University and Former Vice President of Worldwide Government Affairs at Apple.

The program also facilitated interactions with former USTR officials who have transitioned into senior roles in the private sector, such as Elissa Alben, Vice President and Head of Global Trade Policy and International Government Relations at Pfizer, and Behnaz Kibria, Head of Technical Infrastructure and International Cloud Policy at Google. The participants also had the pleasure of meeting former and current senior Commerce Department officials, including Cordell Hull, Former Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security, and Dawn Shackleford, Executive Director of Agreements Policy and Negotiations. To enrich their experience further, they engaged in sessions with Anne Salladin, former U.S. Treasury Department Senior Counsel, and Bruce Hirsh, a former USTR negotiator at the World Trade Organization.

On the program's second day in Washington, D.C., the participants enjoyed a unique opportunity to engage with U.S. Congress members, specifically with Congresswoman Young Kim, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific, and Congressman Andy Kim. These meetings provided a firsthand look into the legislative side of the U.S. government and allowed for meaningful discussions on topics related to international trade and diplomacy.

Additionally, the group visited the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, where they had the privilege of meeting with the Korean Ambassador to the U.S., Cho Hyundong Cho. These interactions provided valuable insights into the prospects of deepening security and economic ties between the U.S. and South Korea.

ASPI's collaboration with the Korea Economic Institute (KEI) culminated in a networking reception that brought together members of the trade and foreign policy community in Washington, D.C. The event featured insightful remarks from Ambassador Kathleen Stephens and Wendy Cutler, creating an environment conducive to networking, knowledge exchange, and fostering connections within the field of international trade and foreign policy.

New York City (July 13 - 15)

Following Washington, D.C., the group traveled to New York City, where they visited the Asia Society headquarters and met with prominent women in finance, media, and law. These sessions facilitated knowledge sharing on workplace advancement and overcoming challenges. Topics included making one’s voice heard among male peers, building professional networks, embracing diversity, and managing work-life balance.

During their visit, the group had the opportunity to tour the Bloomberg TV studios, where they engaged with accomplished Asian female leaders within the newsroom. Among these notable figures were Kyung Bok Cho, Senior Executive Editor in Breaking News, and Angela Moon, Executive Editor in Litigation and Legal Courts. Additionally, they gained insights from Lingling Wei, the esteemed China Correspondent from the Wall Street Journal, on U.S.-China relations.

The group also had valuable interactions within the private sector, attending luncheons hosted by Citi Group executives, including Ida Liu, the Global Head of Citi Private Bank, and Asia Society Trustee Lulu C. Wang of Tupelo Capital. These gatherings provided a unique platform for the participants to share personal advice and strategies for advancing in male-dominated workplaces, offering a valuable exchange of ideas and experiences.

In addition to their engagements in the corporate world, participants were afforded the privilege of meeting with leaders from the diplomatic and Korean affairs community. Notable encounters included an official from the United Nations Secretariat, Wook-Jin Chang, Chief of NGO Branch, as well as a visit to the Korea Society, where they met with Thomas Byrne, President and CEO of the Society, and his team. The group also had the distinct pleasure of engaging with Soeun Lee, former Deputy Director of the International Chamber of Commerce’s New York office, who had previously been well-known in Seoul as a singer.

On the final day of the program, the participants embarked on a visit to the Columbia University campus, where they attended a lecture delivered by Jeong-Ho Roh, Director of the Center for Korean Legal Studies, gaining insights into the academic sphere on geopolitics. Following the lecture, the group enjoyed a brief tour of Columbia’s main campus, further enhancing their immersive and enlightening experience.