ART DE LEX, the Korean International Trade Association, and others are organizing a forum in September on the “Eurasia initiative” of Park Geun-hye

–11.09.2014

The Korean International Trade Association (KITA), ART DE LEX Law Firm, the Institute of Economic Forecasting of the Russian Academy of Sciences, The Chosun Ilbo, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation are organizing the Eurasia Initiative Economic Cooperation Forum, which will take place on 11 September 2014 and is focused on Eurasia Initiative of the Korean president, Park Geun-hye.

The main speaker at the Eurasia Initiative Economic Cooperation Forum is the president of the Korean Association of International Trade, Han Duck-soo, a former prime-minister of the Korean Republic. The Forum also welcomes the minister of economiс development of the Russian Federation, S. V. Ulukaev, the minister of regional development of the Russian Federation, I. N. Slunyaev, the minister of Far East development, A. S. Galushka, and the minister of energy of the Russian Federation, A. V. Novak.

The purpose of the Forum is to discuss the possibility of Russian-Korean projects in terms of the “Eurasian initiative.” In order to bring to life the ideas of Park Geun-hye, the Forum will address the following matters:

understanding the main goals and directions of the “Eurasian initiative”;
assessing the strategies for successfully launching the “Eurasian initiative”;
determining the impact of global political and economic processes on the implementation of the "Eurasian Initiative"
identifying the possible participants in the “Eurasian initiative”;
ascertaining the role of the private sector and business organizations in realizing the “Eurasian initiative”;
elaborating on the possibility of cooperation between the Russian Federation and South Korea.

The complete version of the Forum, including registration information, is on the Forum’s website: http://artdelex.ru/forum/programme.php?lang=kor.

A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE “EURASIAN INITIATIVE”

The idea of the “Eurasian Initiative” emerged on 18 October 2011 at the International Conference on Eurasian Economic Cooperation, which took place in Seoul. The author of the initiative was Park Geun-hye, who, in February 2013, was to become the president of Korea and the chair of National Unification Advisory Council. She advanced the notion of creating “one peaceful, creative continent” of Eurasia. The initiative promotes the economic and logistic integration of the European and Asian countries as well as reducing the tension between North and South Korea on the Korean Peninsula. The plan also includes the unification of power grids in addition to oil and gas pipelines in different countries and regions.

These proposals, according to the Korean president, may cut the costs of logistics and energy and may stabilize world prices. These changes would have a positive influence on overall world trade and the world economy.

The Park Geun-hye initiative to create a “Eurasian continent for peace” received the support of leaders in many countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin, during an interview with the Korean television and radio broadcasting company KBS on 7 November 2013, which preceded his official visit to South Korea, noted that the Eurasian initiative is an interesting and promising project. It stated that it correlates with the Russian vision of development in Eurasia, which started several years ago and now is ready to be implemented.

A BRIEF VIEW OF THE ORGANIZERS

The Korean International Trade Association (KITA) is a large noncommercial organization that provides services to more than 70,000 companies in order to promote international trade. The KITA mission is to:

increase cooperation between businesses and foreign companies;
improve the interests of its member companies;
open and develop new markets and trade in the private sector;
organize international conferences and exhibitions;
research and analyze national competitive abilities;
create an electronic trading infrastructure and update its database.

The Chosun Ilbo is Korea’s largest newspaper which began publication on 5 March 1920, during Japanese colonial administration, and was critical of the policies of the Japanese Governor-General Saitō Makoto. The newspaper promotes traditionally conservative, center-right views and has a positive reputation. It has weekly and monthly versions with a circulation of about 2,500,000 copies. The Chosun Ilbo plays an important role in South Korean politics and society.

The Institute of Economic Forecasting of the Russian Academy of Sciences (INN RAN) is a state-financed organization at the federal level that specializes in conducting basic and applied research in macroeconomic analysis and forecasting, developing techniques and practical models for macroeconomic calculations, recommending the practical use of research results, and training highly qualified scientific personnel.

The main research areas of the institution are:

formulating complex forecasts and alternatives to account for the short-, medium-, and long-term development of the economy;
creating regional development strategies within general economic development priorities;
forecasting and analytical research for large economic entities, such as RAO Unified Energy System of Russia, Gazprom, and the government of the Russian Federation;
improving the methodology and techniques of complex economic and social forecasting.

The institution is known for its world-class scientists, who have made substantial contributions to the study of problems related to the theory and methodology of economic reproduction, socio-economic analysis and forecasting, cross-sectoral analysis and modeling, and development of integrated applications for the social, structural, and technological transformation of the national economy. Among them are such prominent Russian scientists and economists as A. I. Anchishkin, Y. V. Jaremenko, and S. S. Saatalin.

The Institute maintains constant scientific contacts within the country and abroad in the form of regular scientific seminars, conferences, and academic exchanges.

ART DE LEX Law Firm is a national law firm that advises Russian and foreign companies operating in the Russian Federation as well as in other countries. The company works closely with its clients to help them attain their goals and to achieve significant and sustainable benefits for their businesses. ART DE LEX is involved in some of the most important cases and transactions affecting its clients’ industries. The firm’s professional areas are:

competition regulation;
international arbitration;
M&A and corporate law;
real estate and construction;
dispute resolution and mediation;
energy matters.

In 2013, as part of its international focus, ART DE LEX created the South Korea Desk, which is aimed at consulting Korean business, particularly companies and legal entities that cooperate with or invest in Russian businesses.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation (RF CCI, Russian: Торгово-промышленная палата Российской Федерации, ТПП РФ) is a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization that operates under the Russian Federation Law on Chambers of Commerce and Industry in the Russian Federation and the Chamber's charter. It represents the interests of small, medium, and big businesses in all sectors—manufacturing, domestic and foreign trade, agriculture, finance, and services. The Chamber encourages the development of the Russian economy and its integration in the world economic system. It also promotes entrepreneurial activity in Russia.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation provides the following services:

promoting the modernization of the economy and economic innovation;
attracting investment;
protecting the interests of the business community before state and local governments;
creating an effective peer-review system of legislative and regulatory acts that protects the interests of entrepreneurs;
developing relations with foreign businesses and international business organizations;
promoting the settlement of civil legal disputes and the development of arbitration proceedings;
advancing the principles of civilized business and social responsibility;
forming a positive image of the producers of Russian goods and services.