The dramatic political and socio-economic changes in the late 1980s and early 1990s that accompanied the end of the Cold War created new opportunities for the promotion of economic development in Northeast Asia. However, despite a wealth of resources and significant complementarities, the region’s economic potential remains largely unrealized. The recognition that cooperative mobilization of human, natural, and capital resources could generate dynamic new economies in the region motivated the establishment in 1990 of the Northeast Asia Economic Forum.

In September 2004, the Northeast Asia Economic Forum convened its 13th meeting in Seoul, Korea. The meeting brought together prominent businesspersons, analysts, and government officials from China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, Russia, South Korea, and the United States. The agenda included issues critical to economic development and cooperation in Northeast Asia such as national infrastructure development plans and their relationship to regional cooperation, financial institutions and the mobilization of capital, cooperative development strategies for Northeast Asia’s telecommunications infrastructure, cooperation in energy infrastructure, environmental issues.

As a follow-up to the Seoul meeting, the East-West Center will support further exchanges of information and will distribute perspectives presented at the Forum to national and international agencies and policymakers. POSCO visiting fellows will participate in these exchanges and pursue research on issues germane to the promotion of economic cooperation and development in Northeast Asia, including South and North Korea.

Back to POSCO Visiting Fellowships

Back to Visiting Fellowships