From left, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok, McKinsey & Company associate partner Kshitij Dua and RWE Renewables Korean office representative David Jones / Courtesy of Ministry of Economy and Finance, each company

Experts in renewable energy, nuclear power and fossil fuels will gather next week at the Korea Times Forum to discuss the most viable energy mix for Korea and strategies for a smooth transition.

Titled "Powering the future: Korea's energy transition," the event will be held at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry building in Seoul from 9 a.m. to noon on Oct. 16.

Although efforts are being made to reduce Korea's reliance on fossil fuels and increase the use of nuclear and renewable energy, a complete transition remains a distant goal. Expanding renewable energy is hindered by various technological limitations and challenges, even as Korea aims for carbon neutrality by 2050.

The forum will examine the ongoing efforts by the government and companies to reach this goal, explore the future of energy policy and develop innovative solutions for a sustainable transition.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choi Sang-mok will deliver congratulatory remarks, while McKinsey & Company associate partner Kshitij Dua will give a keynote speech titled "Energy transition trends and corporate strategies for new changes." David Jones, representative of the Korean office of German offshore wind power developer RWE Renewables, will deliver a special speech titled "The Role of Offshore Wind in Korea's Future Energy Mix and Strategy." Czech Ambassador to Korea Ivan Jancarek will give a talk with the theme "Czech-Korean nuclear alliance — A pillar for energy transition."

The speeches will be followed by two in-depth sessions, titled "Challenges & opportunities in expanding sustainable energy solutions" and "Strategies for energy transition & energy mix."

In the first session, moderated by Dua, the panelists will explore the most suitable renewable energy options for Korea, the role of nuclear energy in the country and the use of electric vehicle battery technologies for energy storage. The panelists include Jones, Chung-Ang University energy systems engineering professor Jerng Dong-wook and EcoPro marketing office director Yang Jae-heon.

The second session will focus on the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, addressing how Korea can reduce its dependence on conventional energy sources and how global climate agreements are shaping the country's energy policies.

Yoo Yeon-chul, executive director of the U.N. Global Compact Network Korea, will moderate the session. He will be joined by a panel that includes Kim Sung-woo, head of the Environment & Energy Research Institute at Kim & Chang; Chung Bum-jin, president of the Korean Nuclear Society and a professor of nuclear engineering at Kyung Hee University; and Martin Henkelmann, president and CEO of the Korea-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Simultaneous interpretation will be available.