Explore insights into the dynamics of the U.S.-ROK economic relations and the critical issues impacting trade and investment between the two nations in our inaugural program, “The Dynamic U.S.-ROK Trade and Investment Relationship: Current Issues and Prospects” kicking off the new series, U.S.-ROK New Economic Paradigm. Join a distinguished panel of experts consisting of the Hon. Diane Farrell, Deputy Under Secretary for International Trade at the United States Department of Commerce, Mr. Frank Ahrens, Principal of BGR Group, and Dr. Hyun-jung Je, President & Chief Representative of the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) Washington DC Office, in conversation with The Korea Society’s President & CEO Tom Byrne. Each speaker brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the discussion, offering insightful perspectives on foreign investment in the U.S., investment-friendly U.S. states, and how U.S.-Korea economic relations might be shaped by the upcoming US Presidential election.
This program will be recorded at The Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI), Washington, D.C.
The Dynamic U.S.-ROK Trade and Investment Relationship: Current Issues and Prospects
Wednesday, March 20, 2024 | 6 PM (EDT)
The Korea Society
350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor
New York, NY 10017
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:
Diane Farrell is the Deputy Under Secretary for International Trade. In this role, she plans, determines, and coordinates policy; directs the International Trade Administration (ITA); and oversees the daily operations of ITA, which has an annual budget of $613 million with approximately 2,100 trade and investment professionals—based in more than 100 U.S. cities and 70 markets around the world. Within the Department of Commerce, Diane Farrell also serves currently as Co-Chair of the Equity Council, alongside Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves.
Prior to becoming the Deputy Under Secretary for International Trade, she served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia, where she was the principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Global Markets on all matters concerning international economics, trade, investment, and commercial policy programs and agreements with respect to Asia. In this role, she also oversaw planning and execution of Department of Commerce commercial diplomacy and export promotion strategies at United States Missions in Region Asia.
Previously, Farrell worked at the U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC). As Executive Vice President, she oversaw business advocacy policy and government relations.
Farrell served on the Board of Directors at the Export Import Bank of the United States (U.S. EXIM Bank) before joining USIBC. A Presidential appointee, confirmed by the U.S. Senate, she was responsible for voting on transactions in excess of $10 million as well as significant policy matters. Her portfolio responsibilities included small business, India, Southeast Asia, and portions of Latin America. In addition, she was named a member of the White House Business Council. During her tenure at U.S. EXIM Bank, Indian transactions expanded and diversified as aircraft sales and conventional and green energy projects, among others, led to India becoming the second largest country by U.S. dollar allocation in the bank’s overall portfolio.
Before serving at U.S. EXIM Bank, Farrell was elected as the First Selectwoman (mayor), in Westport, Connecticut. In this role she managed multimillion-dollar budgets within the Consumer Price Index and maintained the town’s AAA bond rating at a time when significant infrastructure investment was taking place. She oversaw the construction of schools, a municipal wastewater treatment plant, affordable housing, and other necessary facilities.
Farrell also served as Chairwoman of the Southwestern Connecticut Regional Planning Agency Metropolitan Planning Organization that was responsible for federally funded transportation infrastructure in a vital commercial corridor. As a select member of the National League of Cities Transportation and Infrastructure Steering and Policy Committee, she helped set policy goals for transportation and infrastructure initiatives in support of cities and towns across the United States.
Frank Ahrens, a Principal and Head of BGR Analytics, joined the firm in 2014. He uses data analytics to help individuals, corporations and governments identify winning strategies and employs the full range of earned- and paid-media tactics to improve clients’ profiles and protect their reputations. Working with terrific BGR colleagues, Frank builds relationships with top-tier U.S. media, creates print, digital and video content and deploys the latest SEO tactics. He helps clients land high-profile op-ed placements, score coveted TV news show bookings and produce positive, fact-based content designed to win Page 1 of Google search – an indispensable skill when crisis hits. Working with BGR’s Data Science Team, Frank established BGR Analytics in 2023, which creates data-based rankings of countries and states that give clients the intelligence they need for the most important decisions they make.
Frank has arranged client interviews with Fox News, CNN, The Washington Post and major wire services. Client op-eds have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal. Frank’s clients have included the governments of South Korea, Panama and India, top-tier brands such as CJ Group, Bose and LSG Sky Chefs; and high-net-worth individuals in Hollywood, Europe and the Middle East.
Before coming to BGR, Frank was Vice President of Global Corporate Communications for Hyundai Motor at the automaker’s Seoul, South Korea, headquarters. He worked closely with Hyundai Motor government affairs offices in Washington and Brussels on breaking and long-range issues including labor, energy and trade. During Frank’s tenure, Hyundai was named “Fastest Growing Brand” by Interbrand in 2011 and 2012.
Frank is the author of “Seoul Man: A Memoir of Cars, Culture, Crisis, and Unexpected Hilarity Inside a Korean Corporate Titan,” the story of his three years as the only American at Hyundai Motor headquarters. It was named a Best Book of 2016 by the New York Post.
Prior to Hyundai, Frank worked for 18 years as an editor and reporter at the Washington Post. He covered the global financial crisis of 2008-2010 as well as the media and entertainment industries. Frank appeared frequently as a media industry expert on CNBC, MSNBC, PBS and other networks. He continues to write on international and industry matters, with articles appearing in Foreign Policy, Forbes, Automotive News, PR News and The Diplomat.
Hyun-jung Je is Chief Representative of KITA Washington Center in Korea International Trade Association. She is now in charge of advising and supporting Korean trade companies which are involved in trade and investment issues in the U.S. and also connects and plays a bridging role between Korean businesses and the US governments, congress and think tanks. Since she joined the KITA in 2001, she has worked as a researcher for most of her career years at the Institute for International Trade (IIT), a branch of the KITA. She published many research and policy papers focusing on Korea’s trade policies, free trade agreements and diverse trade issues involving Korean companies. From 2016 to 2018, she served as a private advisor for trade negotiations in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and participated in the negotiations on market access during the Korea-US, Korea-Canada and the Korea-India FTAs. From 2020 to 2021, she also served as a member of the Presidential Commission on Policy Planning. Based on her own experiences and academic research, she published a book titled as “Public-Private Relationships in Trade Policy-making” in 2018. Hyun-jung Je holds Ph.D. in International Studies (major in international commerce) and B.A. and M.A. in International Relations from Seoul National University.
