Youth gather to discuss startup
Students from around the world have gathered in Seoul to discuss startup entrepreneurship at the City Hall on Dec. 2.
The forum under the theme “Fostering Entrepreneurship, Empowering Youth” attracted about 20 youth from ASEAN countries as well as Korea, who had opportunities to learn about the startup business environment through lectures by experts.
The ASEAN-Korea Centre, the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI) and the Seoul Metropolitan Government hosted the event to foster entrepreneurship among youth.
“Entrepreneurship is seen as a viable solution to youth unemployment and a new growth engine in Korea, while ASEAN, with relatively young workforce, has made concerted efforts to promote and nurture creative and inclusive social entrepreneurship for youth,” said ASEAN-Korea Centre Secretary General Kim Young-sun.
“I hope this Forum will provide a meaningful opportunity to nurture entrepreneurship among the youth of ASEAN and Korea and boost startups in the region.”
Experts from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, the Asian Development Bank and the Seoul Global Startup Center shared background on entrepreneurship in the digital age. The forum was split into three sessions.
Young entrepreneurs, who have successfully established businesses in ASEAN and Korea, also talked about their experiences during the “Young Innovators Talk,” followed by business presentations by participants and feedback from the experts.
At the opening ceremony, the secretary general of the centre, STEPI President Song Jong-guk, Ambassador for International Relations of the Seoul Metropolitan Government Kim Chang-beom and Thailand Ambassador to Korea Sarun Charoensuwan attended the meeting.
The event, held for the first time to mark the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit in 2014, has gathered ASEAN students living in Korea to discuss the ASEAN-Korea partnership and foster friendship with Korean students.
According to the Korea Immigration Service, the number of students from the region in Korea reached 12,176 in 2015.