Business group dreams of North Korean branch

Lars Hasjlund, the president of Junior Chamber International, an organization for younger entrepreneurs, said he looks forward to expanding into North Korea someday. “It is our dream and our sincere hope that we, as JCI, can provide leadership training and education in North Korea as well,”

he said at the 61st JCI World Congress in Seoul.
“Promoting corporate leadership and social responsibility that fosters a healthier environment in the world is the objective of our organization,” said the president.
Mr. Hasjlund said this gathering is to exchange ideas and to network among members, emphasizing how JCI gives young entrepreneurs the opportunity to initiate projects all over the world, putting their leadership skills to the test.
Past members of JCI include John F. Kennedy, Kofi Annan, President Roh Moo-hyun, Bill Gates and Bill Clinton.
JCI Korea President Pyo Hyun-cheol said, “Our goal is to embrace and further disseminate the very slogan we have set for ourselves this conference, which is ‘into the JCI’ ― which means further integration to a bigger and much more developed JCI in the world.”
The JCI World Congress started yesterday and will continue until Saturday at the COEX convention center and other venues.
JCI has 200,000 members from 20 to 40 years of age in 110 countries. Korea first joined the community in 1954 and currently has 17,000 members, the third-largest JCI branch in the world.

by Hwang Young-jin