The Embassies of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden in Seoul will jointly host the 'Nordic+Korea Innovation Days 2025' week-long event from Tuesday, May 13th to Sunday, May 18th.
Under the theme of 'Nordic+Korea Innovation for Resilient Societies,' the event will kick off on Tuesday, May 13th with a talk session on 'Resilience and Innovation' at the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies B3 Conference Hall in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. This will be followed by seminars at the same venue promoting dialogue on key areas such as health, security, equality, and prosperity.
The week's events will culminate with the operation of the 'Nordic Playground of Happiness' booth at the Seoul Outdoor Library in front of City Hall on Saturday, May 17th and Sunday, May 18th.
The event will bring together experts from government agencies, businesses, academia, and civil society in both Korea and the Nordic countries to discuss innovative cases in each thematic area and future development and collaboration directions. To this end, the Nordic embassies have partnered with the Chey Institute for Advanced Studies, the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies, and the Jean Monnet EU Centre at Korea University.
The opening talk session on Tuesday, May 13th will be held in the presence of the ambassadors from the four Nordic countries.
The Nordic Council of Ministers will participate to emphasize its 'Nordic Vision 2030' strategy and the importance of global solidarity. Additionally, the Stockholm Resilience Centre in Sweden and the Department of Psychology at Seoul National University will share insights on the resilience of Nordic and Korean societies. Furthermore, representatives from the Finnish Ministry of the Interior, Hitachi Energy Sweden, WISTA Norway, and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) will participate in panel discussions on building resilient societies across four key areas: health, security, equality, and prosperity.
On Wednesday, May 14th, the Embassy of Denmark in Seoul will host a seminar on 'Accelerating Healthcare Innovation: The Way Forward for Diagnostics and Treatment.' This event will focus on addressing common global challenges such as aging populations, chronic diseases, and rising healthcare costs. Discussions will cover real-world healthcare innovation, smart solutions utilizing genomics, artificial intelligence, and cutting-edge digital technologies for diagnostics, as well as patient-centered personalized treatments. Collaboration cases between government, industry, and academia will also be highlighted.
Speakers will include representatives from the Danish Life Science Cluster, the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), Novo Nordisk, KakaoHealthcare, Angel Robotics, and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU).
Also on Wednesday, May 14th, the Embassy of Finland in Seoul will host a seminar on 'Prospects for National Preparedness: From Crisis Management to Digital Security.'
The seminar will explore how democracy can strengthen national resilience in a changing global environment. It will share best practices from Finland's decades of strategic experience in creating a safe and resilient society across various fields, from mental health to social integration, digital infrastructure, and cybersecurity. Speakers will include representatives from the Finnish Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety of Korea, Erillisverkot (Finnish Public Safety Network) and the Safe-Net Forum, and Korea University.
On Thursday, May 15th, the Embassy of Norway in Seoul will host a seminar on 'Innovation Driving the Future of the Ocean Industries: Achieving Gender Equality through Diversity and Inclusion,' highlighting how equality contributes to the sustainability and technological advancement of the industry. To this end, policies and corporate cases related to diversity, inclusion, and gender equality in the Norwegian maritime industry, as well as relevant innovation cases, will be introduced.
Speakers will include the former Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), representatives from WISTA Norway and WISTA Korea (Women's International Shipping & Trading Association), the Korea Maritime Transportation Safety Authority (KOMSA), the Korea Maritime Institute (KMI), Korea Maritime & Ocean University, and Wallenius Wilhelmsen.
On Thursday, May 15th, the Embassy of Sweden in Seoul will host a seminar on 'Innovative Electrification: Illuminating the Future of Green Growth.'
This session will explore Sweden's innovative journey towards a fossil-fuel-free economy, highlighting Sweden's leadership in promoting sustainable and prosperous growth.
The event will delve into the high-efficiency and high-speed transmission technology of clean energy supply through the latest High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) systems.
It will also explore innovative ways to reduce costs and increase the efficiency of power grids through the use of wireless networks and artificial intelligence.
Speakers from Hitachi Energy, Ericsson, the Energy Transition Forum, and Korea University will discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between the Nordic countries and Korea and build a green, clean, and prosperous society.
On Saturday, May 17th and Sunday, May 18th, the four Nordic countries, in collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Library, will operate a booth themed 'Nordic Playground of Happiness' at the Seoul Outdoor Library in front of City Hall. The booth will feature photo zones with popular Nordic characters such as Moomin and Pippi Longstocking, picture book exhibitions, and cultural experiences.
Pre-registration for the seminars is available through the 'Upcoming Events' section of the official Nordic Talks Korea website (www.NordicTalksKorea.com), operated by the embassies of the four Nordic countries. The Nordic booth at the Seoul Outdoor Library can be visited on-site without prior registration.
The 'Nordic+Korea Innovation Days 2025' reflects the Nordic Council of Ministers' vision of fostering a sustainable and competitive future through global partnerships and innovation. This event is an extension of Nordic Talks Korea, launched by the Nordic embassies in 2019. This initiative serves as a platform for communication that encourages creative solutions and sustainable social practices to address common global challenges. For inquiries, please contact the Embassies of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden in Seoul or nordtalks@gmail.com.
The Embassy of Denmark in Seoul (Ambassador Svend Olling) is the diplomatic mission of Denmark in South Korea. The two countries established diplomatic relations on March 11, 1959. The embassy's main tasks include diplomatic and negotiation efforts with the Korean government, promotion of export and trade, promotion of Danish foreign policy and culture, protection and passport issuance for Danish citizens residing in Korea, and support for Danish companies entering the Korean market.
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