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USKCR Field Research & Professional Exchange
The overarching goal of the US-Korea Commercial Relations (USKCR) – Beyond Washington and Seoul project is to highlight the local impact of US-Korea trade and investment and its value to communities in both nations. To this aim, the East-West Center brought together a cohort of local-level Korean and American economic development professionals to conduct research that elucidates “on-the-ground” issues affecting US‑Korea commercial relations outside of either nation’s capital. The cohort's research was enriched through virtual and in-person workshops, during which cohort members exchanged ideas with one another and engaged with other professionals involved in US-Korea commerce.
The East-West Center is proud to have the following scholars and experts together in the USKCR cohort:
Virtual Workshops
During two virtual workshops, USKCR participants exchanged ideas with one another and engaged with other professionals involved in US-Korea commerce. The Inaugural USKCR Virtual Workshop was held on May 28, 2023. At this workshop, the participants presented their research topics and offered input on the ideas of their peers. At the second virtual workshop, held on June 27, the USKCR cohort had the opportunity to dialogue with Jay Biggs, the Deputy Senior Commercial Officer at the US Embassy in Seoul, Korea, and Jae Kim, the President of the Southeast US Korean Chamber of Commerce (SEUSKCC).
Korea Workshop in Ulsan and Busan
The Korea in-person workshop consisted of a day and a half of programming on July 20 and 21, 2023. The workshop started with site visits in Ulsan, South Korea. The first site visit was to the Hyundai Motors Factory. In addition to touring Hyundai Motor’s assembly line, the cohort was apprised of the factory’s port operations.
The next site visit was a meeting with the Ulsan Chapter of the Korean Small & Medium Business Convergence Association (KSMBCA). The KSMBAC delegation included 14 representatives from Korean small businesses interested in doing business in the United States and was led by KSMBCA President Jong-sung Chae. The cohort and KSMBCA discussed the challenges small and medium Korean firms face when entering the US market and how to integrate into the US-Korea global supply chain. Local media outlets, the Kyungsang Daily, Ulsan Daily Report, and Ulsan Press, covered the event.
USKCR participants also dialogued with the Ulsan University Industry-Academic Cooperation initiative on how educational institutions support local economic development and US-Korea commerce. The dialogue also touched upon how universities could facilitate exchange between trade and investment professionals in the United States and Korea.
The Korean itinerary for the program concluded with a workshop in Busan, South Korea, at which participants presented on their research topics and received comments from their peers. Senior leadership and researchers from KITA and KIET attended the workshop and offered feedback to the participants.
Stateside Workshop in Atlanta, Georgia
The USKCR Stateside programming consisted of a roundtable hosted by the Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC) on October 30, 2023, and a site visit to the Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners in Gwinnett County on October 31, 2023. Working with MAC, Invest Atlanta, and the Gwinnett Chamber, the East-West Center assembled a robust workshop roundtable with participation from the site selection, economic development, and business community. Many industrial sectors were represented, including automotive, semiconductor, real estate, and solar. After a round of introductions, USKCR participants posed questions to roundtable attendees and vice versa. Through this dialogue and exchange, USKCR participants gained insights that supported the advancement of their research.
USKCR Stateside programming concluded with a visit to the Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners, a tech incubator and accelerator. The Curiosity Lab is a publicly funded living lab designed to provide a real-world test environment to advance next-generation intelligent mobility and smart city technology. The facility is located within a 500-acre technology park. Multiple Korean companies have set up operations within the Curiosity Lab, the most recent being Seoul Robotics, which develops 3D perception software.
USKCR Webinar and Report
USKCR – Beyond Washington and Seoul project culminated in a webinar in which the members of the USKCR cohort presented their research and a report compiling the cohort's research briefs.
USKCR Field Research & Professional Exchange
The overarching goal of the US-Korea Commercial Relations (USKCR) – Beyond Washington and Seoul project is to highlight the local impact of US-Korea trade and investment and its value to communities in both nations. To this aim, the East-West Center brought together a cohort of local-level Korean and American economic development professionals to conduct research that elucidates “on-the-ground” issues affecting US‑Korea commercial relations outside of either nation’s capital. The cohort's research was enriched through virtual and in-person workshops, during which cohort members exchanged ideas with one another and engaged with other professionals involved in US-Korea commerce.
The East-West Center is proud to have the following scholars and experts together in the USKCR cohort:
Virtual Workshops
During two virtual workshops, USKCR participants exchanged ideas with one another and engaged with other professionals involved in US-Korea commerce. The Inaugural USKCR Virtual Workshop was held on May 28, 2023. At this workshop, the participants presented their research topics and offered input on the ideas of their peers. At the second virtual workshop, held on June 27, the USKCR cohort had the opportunity to dialogue with Jay Biggs, the Deputy Senior Commercial Officer at the US Embassy in Seoul, Korea, and Jae Kim, the President of the Southeast US Korean Chamber of Commerce (SEUSKCC).
Korea Workshop in Ulsan and Busan
The Korea in-person workshop consisted of a day and a half of programming on July 20 and 21, 2023. The workshop started with site visits in Ulsan, South Korea. The first site visit was to the Hyundai Motors Factory. In addition to touring Hyundai Motor’s assembly line, the cohort was apprised of the factory’s port operations.
The next site visit was a meeting with the Ulsan Chapter of the Korean Small & Medium Business Convergence Association (KSMBCA). The KSMBAC delegation included 14 representatives from Korean small businesses interested in doing business in the United States and was led by KSMBCA President Jong-sung Chae. The cohort and KSMBCA discussed the challenges small and medium Korean firms face when entering the US market and how to integrate into the US-Korea global supply chain. Local media outlets, the Kyungsang Daily, Ulsan Daily Report, and Ulsan Press, covered the event.
USKCR participants also dialogued with the Ulsan University Industry-Academic Cooperation initiative on how educational institutions support local economic development and US-Korea commerce. The dialogue also touched upon how universities could facilitate exchange between trade and investment professionals in the United States and Korea.
The Korean itinerary for the program concluded with a workshop in Busan, South Korea, at which participants presented on their research topics and received comments from their peers. Senior leadership and researchers from KITA and KIET attended the workshop and offered feedback to the participants.
Stateside Workshop in Atlanta, Georgia
The USKCR Stateside programming consisted of a roundtable hosted by the Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC) on October 30, 2023, and a site visit to the Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners in Gwinnett County on October 31, 2023. Working with MAC, Invest Atlanta, and the Gwinnett Chamber, the East-West Center assembled a robust workshop roundtable with participation from the site selection, economic development, and business community. Many industrial sectors were represented, including automotive, semiconductor, real estate, and solar. After a round of introductions, USKCR participants posed questions to roundtable attendees and vice versa. Through this dialogue and exchange, USKCR participants gained insights that supported the advancement of their research.
USKCR Stateside programming concluded with a visit to the Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners, a tech incubator and accelerator. The Curiosity Lab is a publicly funded living lab designed to provide a real-world test environment to advance next-generation intelligent mobility and smart city technology. The facility is located within a 500-acre technology park. Multiple Korean companies have set up operations within the Curiosity Lab, the most recent being Seoul Robotics, which develops 3D perception software.
USKCR Webinar and Report
USKCR – Beyond Washington and Seoul project culminated in a webinar in which the members of the USKCR cohort presented their research and a report compiling the cohort's research briefs.
