Former South Korean Prime Minister Nakyon Lee on Actions for Peace in East Asia

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Schedule

Thursday, March 23, 2023
6 p.m. Drinks Reception
7 p.m. Remarks and Moderated Discussion
8 p.m. Audience Q&A

From 2017 to 2020, Nakyon Lee served as the 45th Prime Minister of South Korea and was the longest-serving prime minister since the Constitution of South Korea was revised in 1987. As Prime Minister, Mr. Lee dealt firsthand with the constant threat posed by North Korea, and he negotiated directly with North Korea regarding its nuclear weapons program and other security issues. Reflecting on his extensive experience dealing with North Korean security challenges, Mr. Lee has identified the key reasons why previous attempts to negotiate with North Korea have failed.

Join former South Korean Prime Minister Nakyon Lee as he shares rare insights into the U.S.–South Korean Alliance and the important lessons that must be learned by policymakers to build a lasting peace in East Asia. Mr. Lee will suggest realistic and pragmatic policy recommendations that are necessary to build a well-defined, long-term roadmap to reduce threats and build peace in East Asia.

This discussion takes place in Asia Society Texas' Allen Education Center.

About the Speaker

Nakyon Lee is a former prime minister of the Republic of Korea serving during the Moon Jae-in Administration. He graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in law and became a journalist at Dong-a Ilbo.

After 21 years as a journalist, he entered politics and served five terms as a member of the National Assembly. During his fourth term in 2014, he became the governor of Jeollanam-do Province until President Moon nominated him as prime minister in 2017. He was also elected as the chairperson of the Democratic Party of Korea in 2020.

During his years in public affairs, he has focused on both the domestic and international affairs of South Korea. As prime minister, he was responsible for domestic issues, including the safety of the citizens and society. He was a member of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee at the National Assembly, in which he worked towards a peaceful inter-Korean relationship. He is currently a visiting scholar at the George Washington University Institute for Korean Studies, where his research focuses on the peacebuilding process on the Korean Peninsula.

About the Moderator

Casey Youn is the President of the Korean American Association and Community Center of Houston (KAACCH). He is also the founder and president of Weeco International Corporation, an environmental engineering service company that specializes in the control of air pollutants from refineries and chemical plants. After 24 years at Shell Oil Company he retired to pursue the dream of owning his own business. He was able to develop special technologies with patents that have given him a competitive edge in building his company into an industry leader in the United States over the past 27 years. 

Casey has been a longtime leader in the local Korean and Asian communities. He was the Chair of the Building Committee that successfully coordinated funding for the renovation and construction of the Korean Community Center. He helped found the Houston Korean School in 1979 and was its first principal. He was also the Chairman of the Asian American Coalition of Houston. He has volunteered with many organizations and has served on the City’s Mayoral Advisory Board, the Southwest District Board and the Catholic Charities Board and co-chaired the Spring Branch Haden Park Development Committee. 

Casey immigrated to the United States from South Korea when he was 17. He has been a Houston resident since 1972. He attended the University of California, Berkeley (B.S. - Chemical Engineering) and Princeton University (Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering). He has more than a dozen publications and 3 patents. He believes that the secret of a fulfilling life is to pursue what he enjoys doing while treating others as he would like to be treated, earning the long-term trust of his friends and of his clients.   

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Asia Society Texas Business & Policy Programs, Endowed by

Huffington Foundation

Business and Policy programs at Asia Society Texas are presented by Bank of America, Muffet Blake, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, and United Airlines. Major support comes from Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, Nancy Pollok Guinee, and Mary Lawrence Porter, as well as The Brown Foundation, Inc. and Houston Endowment. Additional funding is provided by the Friends of Asia Society Texas Center, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing the best in public programming.

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About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.