Hanwha's Kim meets with The Heritage Foundation's Feulner

Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn, third from left, and Edwin Feulner pose with Kim's three sons at the Plaza Hotel in central Seoul on Tuesday. [HANWHA CORPORATION]

Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn met with The Heritage Foundation's Edwin Feulner to discuss ways to strengthen the Korea-U.S. alliance and further foster free market economies.

In a dinner on Tuesday, the two shared opinions about on array of issues, including current economic and diplomatic agendas and ways to strengthen relations between the United States and Korea.

The meeting lasted about two hours and included the chairman’s three sons: Kim Dong-kwan, vice chairman of Hanwha Group; Kim Dong-won, vice president at Hanwha Life Insurance; Kim Dong-seon, managing director at Hanwha Hotels and Resorts

Feulner was visiting Korea to attend the Seoul Freedom Forum on free market systems and the alliance. The event was hosted by The Heritage Foundation and Federation of Korean Industries.

Hanwha’s Kim has known Feulner for more than 40 years, and they regularly have meetings.

In a statement, Hanwha said that its chairman occasionally has had discussions with prominent leaders and academics. This marks the second meeting this year between the two leaders.

In March, Kim met with former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence to discuss ways to improve relations between Korea and the United States.

Feulner was a founding Trustee of the Heritage Foundation in 1973 and served as president of the institution from 1977 to 2013 and again from 2017 to 2018.

BY PARK EUN-JEE [park.eunjee@joongang.co.kr]