By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

The Women In koRea (WIR: ‘We’ in German) leadership group of the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry held a successful kick-off event on March 8, marking its sixth edition of annual mentoring program. 

Hosted jointly by the Embassy of Germany in Seoul at the residence of German Ambassador Georg Schmidt, the event drew over 100 participants, especially female executive mentors and mentees from diverse sectors and organizations. 

Among the attendees were representatives from Bayer Korea, BNP Paribas Seoul Branch, Deutsche Bank Seoul Branch, Henkel Korea, KGCCI, Korea International Finance Institute, Korean National Council of Women, Korean Women Journalists Association, Kyobo Life Insurance, LBBW, Satorius Korea, Schenker Korea, Siemens Energy Ltd, Persolkelly Korea, and Yulchon LLC. 

Aligned with the theme for International Women’s Day 2024, “Inspire Inclusion,” Dr. Youngmi Cho, executive director of Korean Women’s Movement for Peace, as a keynote speaker stressed “Inclusive Leadership” of women in driving sustainable development in businesses and society. 

Reflecting on the ongoing struggle for gender equality, German Ambassador to Korea Georg Schmidt remarked, “Despite decades of struggle and many advances, women have not achieved gender equality. Continuing to strive for this aim is not only a question of basic justice, it makes states and societies more peaceful, stable, resilient and economically more successful than if women are excluded or disadvantaged.”  

Kumjoo Huh, co-chairperson of WIR Mentorship Program and External Affairs Consultant of Kyobo Life Insurance, expressed aspirations for the WIR program to assume a more significant role, stating, “To achieve a sustainable global economy, women's economic participation is crucial. The KGCCI WIR program is dedicated to expanding the pipeline of women talents in companies and contribute to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies through mentoring, networking, and enhancing women's capabilities.” 

She further underscored, “Our collective aim is to create a sustainable future together with women domestically and internationally.”  

Meanwhile, Dr. Martin Henkelmann, President and CEO of KGCCI, who is the new co-chair of WIR program starting from this year, stated, “As the first male co-chair of the WIR program, I am honored to assume this role and committed to advancing empowerment. At KGCCI, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential for driving innovation and prosperity. I look forward to working with partners to create a more inclusive society where everyone can thrive.” 

The KGCCI WIR group is a cross-industry, cross-national network of women executives which helps young professional women in Korea to unlock their leadership potential and accelerate value-driven leadership with focus on gender, generations and geographics. 

Launched in 2018, ‘Women In koRea (WIR)’ mentoring program has been serving as a platform for young professional women to build a strong and sustainable network and grow professionally. Rooted in the belief that mentorship is a reciprocal exchange, WIR encourages participants, regardless of background and job titles, to benefit from shared insight. With a focus on collaboration, the program seeks to address and resolve challenges encountered by women leaders in today’s dynamic business environment.