Amcham to encourage innovation

Amcham’s Council on Innovation for the Future members cut a cake during the launch ceremony at the Millenium Hilton Seoul yesterday. Provided by Amcham

The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (Amcham Korea) yesterday launched a council to promote innovation and create new jobs and opportunities in both Korea and the United States.

The business lobbying group said it is starting an “Amcham Council on Innovation for the Future” ahead of its 60th anniversary next year.

“When I look to a country that is successful, there is always innovation,” said Pat Gaines, chairman of Amcham Korea and president of Boeing Korea. “We want our Korea-U.S. partnership to help innovation in this country.”

The council is comprised of Sung Kim, U.S. ambassador to Korea, as its honorary chairman; James Kim, general manager of Microsoft Korea, as chairman; and Amy Jackson, president of Amcham Korea, as president.

There will be 13 advisors for seven sectors: Automotive, corporate social responsibility, energy and growth, health care, investment, IT/software and services. Han Jin-hyun, the deputy minister for trade and investment from the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, will serve as a special advisor after an MOU was signed between Amcham and the ministry last month.

“We will fully support the work of the council, which will encourage sharing of innovation models and more active exchanges between the two nations,” the ministry said in a release.

The council said it will discuss innovation policies that the Korean government can adopt to promote innovation in diverse sectors and identify win-win strategies for forming new partnerships between companies.

Meanwhile, as for the on-going presidential campaigns in both the United States and Korea, Amcham President Jackson said: “We need to study more about each candidate’s economic policies, but we do want to see candidates who implement policies that help economic growth and creation of jobs.”

By Joo Kyung-don [kjoo@joongang.co.kr]