About the Asan Plenum

The Asan Plenum is a yearly gathering of the world’s leading experts and scholars.

In addressing the most pressing challenges facing the world with expertise from around the globe, the Asan Plenum aims to impact the policy making process and enable the global community to better deal with the challenges it faces.

The Plenum is a two-day, multi-session conference organized by the Asan Institute for Policy Studies.

 

Asan Plenum 2016 : “New Normal”

In today’s world, there seem to be too many things that are not normal that are being accepted in the name of the “new normal.” Even though many condemn and worry about the situation in Syria, ISIS inspired terrorism, the migration crisis in Europe, the Ukraine-Russia situation, the fraying of the EU, South China Sea, and North Korean nuclear crisis, just to name a few, they are all increasingly viewed as “intractable,” amenable only to “long-term solutions,” and hence accepted as the “new normal.”

Even though the slower economic growth in China is, indeed, a “new normal” that must be accepted as it is, what the world needs in the case of the other crises is inspired leadership from individual leaders and nations. The problem is that given the election year in the U.S., the economic downturn in China, turmoil in the EU, and near-crisis in Russia, continuing economic doldrum in Japan, etc., it is difficult to see where this needed global leadership and new vision will come from. This year’s Asan Plenum hopes to address these questions.

 

Format

In terms of both timing and location, the Asan Plenum is designed to maximize its impact on the unfolding global conversation on leadership issues. The “conversational” format of the plenum will allow for maximum interaction among the panelists and participants. Parallel break-out sessions will also provide further opportunity for in-depth, focused discussions.