The JoongAng-CSIS Forum 2025: Art of the Deal: New Opportunities for ROK-U.S. Cooperation

August 25 – 26, 2025
Streaming from Seoul

Brought to you by

Korea Chair

Please join us virtually on August 25 (EST) / August 26 (KST) for the annual JoongAng–CSIS Forum. This year's theme is “Art of the Deal: New Opportunities for ROK-U.S. Cooperation,” and will feature James N. Mattis, former U.S. Secretary of Defense, as keynote speaker. The program will bring together distinguished policymakers, experts, and thought leaders to examine evolving alliance priorities, trade rebalancing, and the prospects for renewed diplomacy on the Korean Peninsula.

This signature event is co-hosted by the JoongAng Group.

Opening Remarks

8:30 pm

Hong Seok-Hyun, Chairman, JoongAng Holdings; Chairman, Korea Peace Foundation

Welcoming Remarks

8:45 pm

John Hamre, President and CEO, and Langone Chair in American Leadership, CSIS

Congratulatory Remarks

8:50 pm

Chung Dong-young, Minister of Unification of the Republic of Korea

Keynote Conversation

9:00 pm

James N. Mattis, Former Secretary of Defense

 

Moderator: 
Sydney Seiler, Former National Intelligence Officer for North Korea, National Intelligence Council

Break

9:40 pm

Session 1: New Areas of Alliance Cooperation Under the Lee and Trump Administrations

9:55 pm

Moderator:
Song Min-soon, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs & Trade of the Republic of Korea

 

Panelists:
Philip Goldberg, Distinguished Ambassador in Residence, Center for Global Affairs, and Advisor to the President for Global Affairs, New York University; Former U.S. Ambassador to South Korea 

John Hamre, President and CEO, and Langone Chair in American Leadership, CSIS 

Kim Sung-han, Professor of the Graduate School of International Studies, Korea University; Former National Security Adviser of the Republic of Korea

Hong Hyun-ik, Chair of the Foreign and Security Affairs Subcommittee, State Affairs Planning Advisory Committee; Former Chancellor of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy  

Break

11:10 pm

Session 2: Reciprocal Tariffs and Trade Rebalancing

12:40 am

Moderator:
Bark Taeho, Professor Emeritus, Seoul National University; Former Minister for Trade of the Republic of Korea

 

Panelists:
Victor Cha, President, Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department and Korea Chair, CSIS  

Adam Farrar, Senior Geoeconomics Analyst for the Asia-Pacific, Bloomberg Economics 

Lee Jaemin, Dean of the School of Law, Seoul National University 

Choi Byung-il, Professor Emeritus, Ewha Womans University

Choi Seok-young, Senior Adviser at Lee & Ko; Former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Geneva 

Break

1:55 am

Session 3: Trump and Kim: Renewed Summit Diplomacy?

2:10 am

Moderator:
Yoon Young-kwan, Professor Emeritus, Seoul National University; Former Minister of Foreign Affairs & Trade of the Republic of Korea

 

Panelists:
Sydney Seiler, Former National Intelligence Officer for North Korea, National Intelligence Council 

Timothy Martin, Korea Bureau Chief, The Wall Street Journal  

Shin Jung-seung, Chairman, Korea China Association for Cultural Exchange; Former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to China 

Lee Ha-kyung, Editor-at-Large, JoongAng Ilbo 

Closing

3:25 am

Tags

Korea, Asia, Geopolitics and International Security, and Asian Economics

Hosted By

Contact information

John J. Hamre

John J. Hamre

CSIS President and CEO, and Langone Chair in American Leadership
Victor Cha

Victor Cha

President, Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department and Korea Chair
Adam Farrar

Adam Farrar

Senior Associate (Non-resident), Korea Chair

Programs & Projects

Previous Year's Forum