Woori Financial Group Hosts International Conference for Korea's Economic Leap Forward

Exploring New Roles and Strategies for Finance with the Institute for Global Economics

At the '2025 World Economy Institute-Woori Financial Group International Conference' held on the 19th at the Shilla Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, key figures from the domestic and international finance and academic sectors attended and posed for a commemorative photo. From the front row, fourth from the left, are Woori Financial Group Chairman Lim Jongryong, Financial Services Commission Chairman Lee Eokwon, World Economy Institute Chairman Jeon Gwangwoo, Youngone Corporation Chairman Sung Kihak, and Anne Krueger, Stanford University Distinguished Professor and former IMF and World Bank First Deputy Managing Director. Woori Financial Group

On September 19, Woori Financial Group co-hosted an international conference with the World Economy Institute at the Shilla Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, to explore strategic responses for the Korean economy and financial sector amid rapidly changing global dynamics.

The conference, themed "A New Path for Korea’s Economic Leap Forward: The Role of Financial Innovation," featured leading global scholars and experts as keynote speakers, who offered insights on policy responses for the Korean economy, the strategic role of finance, and ways to establish a sustainable corporate culture.

The opening ceremony began with a special dialogue with Henry Fernandez, Chairman of MSCI, followed by keynote speeches from Anne Krueger, Stanford University Distinguished Professor, and Victor Cha, Senior Vice President for Geopolitics and Foreign Policy and Korea Chair at CSIS. They examined changes in the global economic and trade environment, addressed geopolitical issues, and suggested strategic directions.

In the main session, Tim Adams, President and CEO of the Institute of International Finance, proposed directions for Korea’s economic resurgence and sustainable growth in the financial industry. This was followed by a lively panel discussion on the challenges and future strategies for dynamic growth amid shifting global dynamics.

The second session addressed how ESG, AI, and stablecoins are driving major transformations across industries, including finance, and discussed how companies can respond to enhance their value.

Park Junghoon, CEO of Woori Financial Management Research Institute, emphasized, "In this era of great transformation, productive finance that opens the future and drives sustainable growth is more important than ever, and both the government and the private sector must work together to achieve it."

The final session, focused on ethical corporate culture for sustainable development, introduced international cases of financial supervision that approach internal controls from a cultural perspective and highlighted activities by global companies to establish ethical cultures. Strategies to enhance trust and transparency in financial companies were discussed.

Lim Jongryong, Chairman of Woori Financial Group, stated, "I hope today’s event will serve as a solid foundation for innovation and sustainable growth in Korea’s economy, finance, and corporate sectors." He added, "Together with the conference participants, it was a meaningful opportunity to deeply consider practical ways to realize 'productive finance' and 'inclusive finance' to drive Korea’s economic leap and growth amid a rapidly changing global environment."