An international academic conference to commemorate the 2nd anniversary of the President''s inauguration was held at the Shilla Hotel, Seoul, on Wednesday (Feb. 24).

The conference "Global Korea 2010," the second event of its kind (the first being held last year), was co-hosted by the Presidential Council for Future and Vision and the National Research Council for Economics, Humanities and Social Sciences.

About 700 guests, including economic leaders, scholars and diplomats at home and abroad were invited to the event.

Notable speakers such as Harvard University Economics professor Kenneth Rogoff and Thierry de Montbrial of the IFRI (Institut français des relations internationales) delivered addresses on Korea''s developmental outlook and the country''s role in the new world order, which is represented by the recent economic crisis and recovery, developmental partnerships and environment-friendly growth.

The Brookings Institution''s John Thornton and the World Bank''s Senior Vice President Justin Yifu Lin spoke as panelists.

The President, who delivered a key note address at the conference, said that the global economy is recovering from the recent crisis earlier than expected largely thanks to the unprecedented collaboration between advanced and emerging economies under the supervision of the Group of Twenty (G20) meeting.

The President emphasized that his country is preparing for the G20 Seoul summit scheduled in November, under the spirit of “global partnership.”

The global economy is improving, helped by inter-governmental cooperation and public stimulus packages, but investment, consumption and employment in the private sector are all the more important for sustained global economic development in the future, said the President.

He stressed that his government will do its best in bridging the developmental gap between advanced and developing countries, referring to Korea''s experience of turning from an aid recipient to an aid donor by joining the OECD Development Assistance Committee in 2009.

With reference to eco-friendly green growth, the President pledged to stick to his government''s goal of cutting carbon emissions by 30 percent from its business-as-usual (BAU) level forecast for 2020, thereby contributing to global environmental protection efforts.

He also introduced the government''s plan to establish the “Global Green Growth Institute” which will bring together scholars, scientists and civil society leaders from around the world to come up with workable solutions to climate change problems.