[Newsmaker] Minister Kang, Ivanka Trump stress women’s role in economy, peacebuilding

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa and White House adviser Ivanka Trump on Sunday shared outcomes of the two country’s measures aimed at enhancing women’s participation in economic development and the challenges ahead.

Some 60 female civic workers and government officials and businesswomen attended the meeting, titled “The ROK-US Women’s Empowerment Forum,” at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in downtown Seoul. 

Ivanka accompanied her father, US President Donald Trump, who was in South Korea for a two-day visit from Saturday to Sunday that included a historic trilateral meeting of Trump, President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the Joint Security Area inside the Demilitarized Zone.

Kang stressed that women played a key role in the country’s economic development and said she highly appreciates the cooperation between Seoul and Washington that has expanded to the strengthening of women’s capabilities, according to Seoul’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the forum, Ivanka introduced the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative, which aims to bring economic stability to 50 million women in developing countries by 2025.

The president’s daughter visited South Korea in February 2018 to attend the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.

By Park Han-na (hnpark@heraldcorp.com)