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The New York Korean Financial Forum was held on April 16, 2026 at The Korea Society, in partnership with Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) and the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in New York, to discuss investment strategies and opportunities within the North American mid-market infrastructure sector.
Jared Waldron (Co-Head of Infrastructure) and Jessica Kennedy (Managing Director) from Northleaf Capital Partners presented structural advantages of the mid-market. They highlighted the diverse opportunities in renewable energy and digital infrastructure for a higher margin of safety and significant value creation potential.
The program brought together over 40 Korean and Korean-American finance professionals and concluded with a networking session, offering participants an opportunity to exchange professional insights and strengthen connections across New York's financial community.
US Infrastructure Market Outlook and Investment Strategy (Focused on the Mid-Market)
April 16, 2026
The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017
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- Youtube Video:
Join us for a conversation with Tae Kim, author of The Nvidia Way: Jensen Huang and the Making of a Tech Giant. Now as the world's leading AI chipmaker, Nvidia offers a fascinating window into the new era of global entrepreneurship vis-à-vis its partnership with Korea; Nvidia's commitment to provide 260,000 GPUs to South Korean companies redefines the strength of innovative cooperation across mobility, manufacturing, and robotics. This conversation will take you inside the forces shaping our AI-powered future and offer fresh insights into the culture, strategy, and leadership behind Nvidia's rise as a global technology leader.
Purchase the book here.
Author signing available at the event.
The Nvidia Way: Jensen Huang and the Making of a Tech Giant with Tae Kim
Thursday, December 4, 2025 | 6:30 PM (EST)
The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017
About the Speaker:
Photo: Helena Hong |
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Tae Kim, Senior Technology Writer at Barron's and Author of The Nvidia Way, is a senior technology writer at Barron's. He previously was the U.S. technology columnist at Bloomberg Opinion and also worked as an investing journalist for CNBC. Earlier in his career, he was an equity analyst at hedge funds and an investment analyst at a fund of funds. |
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The Korea Society invites you to the final pitching competition of Startup Scene: Emerging Design Competition — the most aspiring moment of Startup Scene: Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow, a program initiative dedicated to empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs across the US and South Korean startup ecosystems.
Come witness firsthand the creativity and drive of the next generation of Korean and Korean-American founders. After a half-year journey — from initial ideation to mentorship — our finalists are now one step away from taking home prizes of $5,000, $3,000, and $1,000. Each finalist will deliver a live pitch followed by a Q&A with the judging panel, showcasing ideas at the intersection of technology, design, and social impact that may very well shape tomorrow's economy.
For any questions, please contact us at
This program is proudly and exclusively supported by Hanwha Life
| Click Here to Attend in Person |
Finalists
2026 EMERGING DESIGN COMPETITION FINALISTS
We are excited to announce the finalists of the 2026 Emerging Design Competition:
Cuddles Emory University A screen-free AI plush companion that helps children build emotional and language skills while giving parents actionable insights to deepen their family connection |
FOODIE Iowa State University A gamified fridge manager that notifies you 48 hours before your food expires |
MyHearo New York University/ School of Visual Arts An AI agent for deaf and hard-of-hearing users that understands sound and context to support everyday awareness and action |
SORVY Washington State University/Arizona State University Turning starfish waste into a self-regulating aquarium water cartridge |
Startup Scene: Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow
2026 Emerging Design Competition Final Pitch
Friday, June 12, 2026 | 5:00 PM (EDT)
The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue
24th Floor New York, NY 10017
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The Korea Society and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) are pleased to present a timely discussion on South Korea's capital market reforms. South Korea is undertaking its most ambitious capital market reform in years—an agenda to strengthen corporate governance, expand investor protections, and unlock deeper access to global capital. What does this moment mean for international investors, and what will it take to finally close the Korea discount?
Join Namuh Rhee, Chairman of the Korean Corporate Governance Forum and a leading voice behind Korea's reform movement, for a keynote address, followed by a cross-border conversation with senior representatives from the Bank of Korea and two leading U.S. investment professionals on where the reforms stand, how Korea's macro landscape is reshaping its appeal, and what global capital needs to see next.
Opening Remarks
Rak-gon Kim, Director General of KOTRA New York
Keynote Speaker
Namuh Rhee, Chairman, Korea Corporate Governance Forum; Visiting Professor, Yonsei University
Panelists
Young Woong Hwang Head, Money Market Team, Bank of Korea
Chiara Salghini Portfolio Manager, Senior Research Analyst, Vontobel
Jae Hyun Yoo Director, International Finance Division, Bank of Korea
A senior executive at a major Wall Street bank's private investing arm
Moderated by Mark Kim President, Korea Finance Society
Brought together with
| Interest Registration Link |
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While TKS members have first priority, we encourage all interested attendees to apply. You'll receive a confirmation once your RSVP has been submitted. For information on membership, please refer to the webpage here. |
Closing the Korea Discount: Capital Market Reform and the Macro Outlook
Monday, June 1, 2026 | 4:00 PM (EDT)
By Invitation
About the Speakers
Young Woong Hwang
Head, Money Market Team, The Bank of Korea
Young Woon Hwang joined the Bank of Korea in 2003 and has since worked in the Monetary Policy Department, Financial Markets Department, Research Department, and Financial Stability Department, engaging in monetary policy as well as financial stability–related affairs.
Young Woong graduated with a BA in Economics from Korea University.
Mark Kim
Director at Anchorage Capital Advisors
Mark Kim is a Director at Anchorage Capital Advisors, a credit-oriented investment firm based in New York. At Anchorage, Mark is responsible for corporate credit investing across the capital structure, as well as business development and investor relations for Korea.
Before joining Anchorage, he worked at TPG Sixth Street Partners and started his career in the investment banking division at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in New York.
Mark serves as President of Korea Finance Society and received the Finance Excellence Award from the Korean Ministry of Economy and Finance for his contributions to the organization.
Mark holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from Columbia University.
Rakgon Kim
Director-General of KOTRA New York
Rakgon Kim is the Director-General of KOTRA New York, appointed in 2025. With nearly 30 years of experience at the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), he is a seasoned expert in global trade, export support, and strategic management.
Mr. Kim has held diverse leadership roles across KOTRA’s international network, previously serving as Director-General in Chicago (2023–2025) and Doha, and as Director in Auckland. At KOTRA headquarters, he led the Export Support and Human Resources Development teams and held multiple strategic positions within the Office of the President. He remains dedicated to strengthening economic ties between Korea and the global market through his extensive expertise in international trade.
Namuh Rhee
Chairman of the Korean Corporate Governance Forum
As Chairman of the Korean Corporate Governance Forum, Namuh Rhee is at the forefront of efforts to elevate corporate governance standards across the country, bringing nearly four decades of experience across Asia’s leading financial institutions. He has held senior leadership roles at Samsung Securities, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Nomura International, spanning Seoul, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Throughout his career he built a distinguished reputation as one of the foremost authorities on Korean equities.
His corporate governance credentials are underpinned by extensive board experience spanning financial services, media, start-up and chaebols, having served as a non-executive board member of BNK Financial Holdings, SBS, Hansol Holdings, Mando China Holdings, Korea Investment Trust, ABLBio, and Citibank Korea. Earlier in his career, he was appointed to the Finance Industry Development Review Committee of Korea’s Ministry of Finance and Economy, one of the government’s most senior advisory bodies. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a BA in Economics from Seoul National University.
Chiara Salghini joined Vontobel in November 2023. She is Deputy Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst within the Quality Growth boutique. In this role, she works as a generalist, focusing on emerging markets and researching investment opportunities with a particular emphasis on Latin America, Asia, and the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa).
Before joining Vontobel, from 2019 to 2023, she was a research analyst at Stone Forest Capital, where she focused on emerging-market equities. Prior to that, she covered emerging-market and international equities at Federated Hermes. Her previous experience in the finance industry includes working as an investment banker at Barclays in London and New York, and as a credit analyst at Moody’s. She started her career in 2005 at UBS in London as an investment banking analyst in the Mergers & Acquisitions department.
Chiara holds an MBA in Finance from The Wharton School, an MPA in International Economics and Public Policy from Harvard University, as well as degrees from The London School of Economics and Bocconi University.
Jae Hyun Yoo
Director, International Finance Division The Bank of Korea
Jae Hyun Yoo is Director of International Finance Division in The Bank of Korea. He has more than 25 years’ experience of working in a number of different roles associated with FX and financial markets department in the BOK. He has been deeply involved in the establishment and operation of Korea's foreign exchange policies and regulations. He also served as a policy advisor to a member of the BOK's Monetary Policy Committee from 2016~2018.
Jae Hyun graduated with a BA in Economics from Seoul National University.
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The New York Korean Financial Forum was held on May 28, 2026 at The Korea Society, in partnership with Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) and the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in New York, to discuss the current U.S. labor market and global economic outlook.
Michael S. Hanson, Senior Economist at J.P. Morgan Global Economic Research, presented a data-driven analysis of a labor market showing signs of stabilization amid persistent inflation driven by energy costs and trade tariffs, while highlighting the risks posed by oil supply shocks and geopolitical tensions in the Persian Gulf. Hanson's forecast projections through 2027 painted a picture of a fragile recovery where resilient consumer spending continues to face pressure from rising costs and fiscal deficits.
The program brought together over 40 Korean and Korean-American finance professionals and concluded with a networking session, offering participants an opportunity to exchange professional insights and strengthen connections across New York's financial community.
Economic Outlook: Through a Glass, Darkly
Thursday, May 28, 2026
The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017
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