Gareth Weir, deputy ambassador at the British Embassy in Korea, delivers opening remarks during the first session of the eighth Global Business Forum, held at The Ambassador Seoul – A Pullman Hotel on Wednesday. (The Korea Herald) A senior British envoy to South Korea on Wednesday stressed the importance of deepening Korea-UK cooperation in emerging sectors, noting that both countries face shared challenges amid an increasingly volatile global landscape.
Gareth Weir, deputy ambassador at the British Embassy in Korea, emphasized that this moment calls for renewed partnerships — not only due to short-term disruptions, but also because of structural transformations that are reshaping the global economy.
“In these unsettling times as we navigate economic uncertainty, climate imperatives and rapid technological transformation, it is key that like-minded countries that share similar values work even more closely together,” he said.
His remarks opened the eighth edition of the Global Business Forum, hosted by The Korea Herald and Herald Business at The Ambassador Seoul – A Pullman Hotel.
Under a theme of “Designing the Future,” the eighth edition, which kicked off this week, provides a platform for Korean entrepreneurs and CEOs to explore long-term strategies for innovation and resilience amid growing global disruption. The 14-week forum convenes every Wednesday through Dec. 23, featuring diplomats from 29 countries and 16 guest speakers across sectors.
Weir described Korea and the UK as natural allies, pointing to the strength of their existing ties.
“Just last year, our two countries elevated our ties to a global strategic partnership, recognizing the depth of cooperation across trade, investment, security and culture,” he said. “We continue to strengthen our partnership in ways that look firmly to the future.”
Weir noted that the next frontier of cooperation lies in emerging industries — from clean energy to cultural exchange — where both countries are actively pursuing innovation and sustainability.
“The UK and Korea can work closely together, whether it is building sustainable cities, advancing clean energy solutions, strengthening financial services or promoting cultural exchange,” he said. “Together, our countries are natural partners in this journey.”
Weir also expressed hope for expanded ties in culture and sports, highlighting the importance of continued people-to-people connections.
Following his remarks, Lee Nam-sik, president of JEI University and academic adviser to the GBF, gave a lecture outlining Korea’s potential in artificial intelligence, emphasizing the need to focus on robotics-based AI beyond language models.
“Most people believe AI is just about large language models like ChatGPT. But for AI to truly enter the industrial domain, we need robot-type AI that can physically act in the real world,” Lee said.
“If Korea accelerates efforts in this area, it is not too late to lead the next phase of AI advancement.”
flylikekite@heraldcorp.com