COVID-19 Crisis, Our Response & Post-Pandemic Future

SK is initiating a series of society-wide discourses and intellectual exchanges to usher in “deep changes” to shape the post-pandemic future in response to the COVID-19 crisis. On May 8, Chey Institute for Advanced Studies hosted a webinar entitled ‘COVID-19 Crisis, Our Response & Post-Pandemic Future’ in its conference hall jointly with the Joongangilbo to understand the multiple aspects of the pandemic, analyze/respond to its elements and repercussions brewing the ongoing crisis, and discuss the post-pandemic future. Aired online through Chey Institute’s website and YouTube channel, the webinar was honored with the presence of distinguished scholars representing healthcare, scientific, political, economic, and societal domains who contributed their inter-disciplinary perspectives to in-depth analysis of the pandemic, with intensive focus on the impacts on our society and relationships with international neighbors.

 

 

 

Opening
The ‘COVID-19 Crisis, Our Response thereto & Future,’ webinar started with an opening speech by Chey Institute President Park In-kook. Talking about the crisis arising after the COVID-19 outbreak, President Park greeted the attendants, cordially requesting them “to contribute to the shaping of collective intelligence critical to our society by analyzing crises unfolding across different disciplines and forecasting probable futures.” He was then followed by welcoming speeches delivered by Chairman Chey Tae Won and Chairman Hong Seok-hyun of JoongAng Holdings. Chairman Chey welcomed the scholars who attended the webinar to share their ideas and insight for the post-pandemic future and reaffirmed the purport of the webinar, asking for their ideas on how to overcome the ongoing crisis and prepare for a future beyond COVID-19.

 

 

“The rules and systems that have underpinned our society will no longer be able to guarantee sustainable development. We need to prepare for a post-COVID world, the world full of uncertainties. Businesses face largely two challenges: to recover from the COVID-19 shock, and to bring transformation to society to build resilience to pandemics.
As we reshape policies and systems for the new era, some individuals or groups may be left behind along the way. I am convinced that businesses should join forces with the government, local communities, social enterprises and other partners to find blind spots and build a ’Safety Net’ to address social issues. I think that business organizations in the new normal are rightfully expected to define their roles and play their part in society.”

 

 

Session 1~2: The Science of COVID-19
Two sessions shedding light on COVID-19 from scientific perspectives covering biology, immunology, quarantine, diagnosis, treatment, etc. of the virus were held in the morning. The first session opened with a lecture delivered by Director General Jerome Kim of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) entitled ‘A COVID-19 Vaccine: Done Right, Done Fast’. He was then followed by Dr. Ryu Wang-shick, Professor of Biochemistry at Yonsei University/CEO of Institut Pasteur Korea (IPK) and Kim Beom-jun, Professor of Physics at Sungkyunkwan University presentations entitled ‘A Strategy for COVID-19 Cure Development’ and ‘An Infectious Disease Spread-Modeling Approach’ respectively. Last, but not the least, CTO Kim Hoon of SK bioscience presented the ‘Current Status & Outlook of COVID-19 Vaccine Development’.

 

 

Opening the second session, Ahn Kwang-seog, Professor of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University lectured on the ‘Emergence and Re-appearance of Pandemic Viruses Following Globalization’. He was then followed by Kim Hong-bin, Professor of Internal Medicine, SNU Bundang Hospital who presented the ‘Clinical/Epidemiological Features of COVID-19’ and Dr. Park Do-joon, former Director of the Korea National Institute of Health (KNIH) under the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) who spoke on ‘Experiences of COVID-19: Government’s Roles in Responding to the Threats of Disastrous Epidemics’.

 

 

 

Session 3: How COVID-19 Outbreak Has Impacted Our Society/Values/Politics
The third session was focused on the social, political and psychological impacts of COVID-19 outbreak. It started off with Dr. Kim Yong-hak, former President of Yonsei University who spoke on the ‘Corona Virus Sticking to Human Spirit’ and Chair Professor Song Ho-keun of POSTECH’s Humanities and Social Science Department who lectured on the ‘Charge of COVID-19 and Upheaval of Civilization’. They were followed by Lee Jae-yeol, Professor of Sociology, SNU who presented ‘Risk Governance & Social Dignity,’ Kim Byeong-yeon, Professor of Economics, SNU on the ‘COVID-19 Outbreak & Future of the Korean Peninsula,’ and Jang Hoon, Professor of Political Science and International Relations, Chung-Ang University on the ‘Corona War & Government’s Future’. Last, but not the least, Choi In-cheol, Professor of Psychology, SNU talked about the ‘Trajectory of Changes Brought by the Corona Virus to Our Happiness & Minds’.

 

 

 

Session 4: Pandemic & Geopolitical/Geoeconomic Risks
The last session covered geopolitical/geoeconomic developments arising in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak as well as strategies to cope with such developments. Professor Emeritus Yoon Young-kwan at SNU’s Department of Political Science and International Relations presented the ‘Post-COVID-19 Era: Changes in International Political/Economic Landscape & the Korean Peninsula’; Lee Sook-jong, Professor of Public Administration at Sungkyunkwan University spoke on the ‘Issues Facing International Organizations in the Context of COVID-19 Outbreak’; and Professor Choi Byung-il of the Graduate School of International Studies at Ewha Womans University lectured on the ‘Future of China-esque Globalization.’ They were followed by Dean and Professor Kim Sung-han of the Graduate School of International Studies of Korea University who spoke on the ‘US Presidential Election, the US-Sino Relations, and their Impacts on the Korean Peninsula’; Jung Jae-ho, Professor of Political Science and International Relations, SNU on the ’Pandemic & the US-Sino Race for Hegemony’; and Kwon Goo-hoon, Chairman of The Presidential Committee on Northern Economic Cooperation on the ‘COVID-19 & New Northern Policy: Status, Implications, & Strategy’. The last session was wrapped by Sung Tae-yoon, Professor of Economics, Yonsei University, who lectured on the ‘Post-COVID19 Economic Landscape’.

 

 

SK’s efforts to build a safety net for the post-COVID19 era will continue after the webinar. We encourage you to join SK’s efforts to ride over the ongoing crisis into a safer future.