Busan City Hosts the 22nd World Korean Women’s Network Conference

June 6-8, 22nd World Korean Women’s Network International Conference Held

Opening Ceremony at 10 AM on June 6, Haeundae Paradise Hotel

Minister of Gender Equality and Family and Over 360 Korean Women Leaders from Home and Abroad Attend

Busan City, in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, will hold the 22nd Korean Women's International Network (KOWIN) Conference from the 6th to the 8th at the Haeundae Paradise Hotel.

KOWIN is a representative international event that has been held annually since 2001, the inaugural year of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and this year marks its 22nd edition. It serves as a platform where over 10,000 Korean women from 62 countries around the world gather to communicate and exchange ideas.

To promote the exchange of women's policies between regions and revitalize local economies, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and local governments have jointly hosted the event since 2009. After being held in Busan in 2010, the conference returns to the city after 13 years. This year is especially significant as it is the first face-to-face meeting in four years since 2019.

Under the theme "KOWIN, Turning ON Anew," domestic and international participants will support each other through the ▲Global Women Leaders Forum ▲sector-specific networking, strengthening exchanges and solidarity among Korean women who are meeting again after four years.

The participants consist of Korean women leaders and next-generation female leaders active in all fields including politics, economy, society, culture, and science both domestically and internationally.

The opening ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. on the 6th at the Haeundae Paradise Hotel. About 360 attendees, including Busan Mayor Park Hyung-jun, Minister Kim Hyun-sook of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and female leaders from home and abroad, will participate in keynote speeches, congratulatory performances, and special sessions.

The ceremony will begin with the opening address by the Minister of Gender Equality and Family, followed by a welcome speech from the Busan Mayor and a congratulatory performance themed on Busan’s ‘Dongnae Hakchum’ traditional dance.

In the keynote speech, ‘Unari,’ CEO of Raider Lab and an entrepreneur active in Japan, will share her experience of challenging a startup at the age of 40 and developing a social service app used by two-thirds of Japanese people, under the theme “Sustainable Growth through Connection,” along with stories of next-generation Korean women.

Notably, this year’s KOWIN conference is held in Busan to further spread global consensus for the bid to host the 2030 Busan World Expo. Accordingly, special sessions, local cultural exploration programs, and promotional booths for the 2030 Busan World Expo will be operated.

During the special session, participants will be introduced to the Busan Initiative aimed at securing the 2030 Busan World Expo hosting rights. A video showcasing Busan’s determination and capabilities to host the World Expo and appealing for interest and support for the bid will be screened.

Mayor Park Hyung-jun stated, “By successfully hosting this year’s conference, Busan will play a major role in activating the Korean women’s network at home and abroad and establishing an international cooperation system to secure national competitiveness.” He added, “Furthermore, we will actively promote global consensus for the 2030 Busan World Expo bid and pursue city branding as a culturally and touristically attractive city.”