Overseas Korean leaders opened their annual meeting in Seoul on Tuesday to discuss ways to better nurture young talent and support the government’s “creative economy” initiative.

About 380 Koreans from 73 countries are participating in the four-day World Korean Community Leaders Convention organized by the Overseas Koreans Foundation to promote networking among compatriots at home and abroad.

President Park Geun-hye attended the opening, calling for their support for her policy to forge new growth engines centered on advanced technology and business innovation. 

Human resources for the creative economy will be the central theme of the 13th annual meeting, the organizer said.

Cho Kyu-hyung, head of the OKF, told reporters that making second- and third-generation Korean-Americans feel connected to their roots was important for their future voluntary engagement in the creative economy drive.

“The question is how,” Cho said. “President Park has partially revealed her vision during her first U.S. trip such as providing a special work visa and residential IDs. Those would have to be discussed in detail this time,” he said.

During a meeting with Korean-Americans in New York last month, Park unveiled plans to bring in more globally minded, talented Koreans and increase partnerships between ethnic Korean businessmen and domestic small and medium-sized companies.

Lawmakers from the ruling Saenuri Party and the main opposition Democratic Party will outline their respective party’s policies for overseas Koreans.

By Suk Gee-hyun (monicasuk@heraldcorp.com)