Messages from the Presidents
Distinguished guests, eminent scholars, ladies and gentlemen, On behalf of the KEA (Korean Economic Association), I would like to welcome you all. This year the whole world has been occupied with fighting the pandemic which began to take hold in January. This is an entirely new challenge and we still do not know much about the pandemic. Most countries are trying hard to manage their economies while keeping control of the pandemic, which is a difficult juggling act. We may have to find a way to live with it since the pandemic may be here to stay for the future. The theme of the KER conference this year is “Globalization and the Korean Economy: Challenges in the Post Covid-19 Era.” The Korean economy is subject to many problems including a slowdown of the economic growth rate and aging and polarization in the population. The international economic environment is more hostile since most countries are busy protecting their domestic economies. The pandemic makes the problem far more complicated and yet also urgent. Economic research on these issues is desperately needed to help economies handle these problems. However, I am optimistic that we will overcome these difficulties as we have done many times in the past. In order to achieve this, we must make efforts to understand the sources of these problems before finding their solutions. I hope that this conference will provide the platform to address the problems and I’d like to invite you all to participate in the endeavor. I would like to personally thank all participants and I wish you an enjoyable conference. In Ho Lee President, The Korean Economic Association |
I am pleased to welcome you to the 2020 KER conference both personally and on behalf of the Korea-America Economic Association (KAEA, www.kaea.org). This conference is jointly organized by the Korean Economic Review (KER), Korean Economic Association (KEA), and Korea-America Economic Association.
I wish to thank and congratulate the KEA President, Professor Inho Lee, and the local organizers for effectively planning and preparing for the conference in a virtual platform for the first time to overcome uncertainties and travel restrictions due to the on-going Covid-19 pandemic. I also wish to thank the Program Co-Chairs, Professors Yoon-Jae Whang and Yongsung Chang, for successfully putting together an exciting program with stimulating research under the timely theme “Globalization and the Korean Economy: Challenges in the Post Covid-19 Era” that will be presented virtually in the course of the conference. In spite of the unprecedented challenges this pandemic imposes and the subsequent departures from normal conference format without in-person presentations and face-to-face networking opportunities, I am sure this new virtual format will allow us to continue to experience an engaging and productive conference. I look forward to meeting many of you virtually during the conference. With warmest wishes, Yoosoon Chang President, KAEA |