One of the founders of the Korean Studies Centre in Sheffield will deliver a lecture on Tuesday at the Royal Asiatic Society Korea Branch on how it can help the government attract higher levels of foreign direct investment.

Judith Cherry’s lecture will look at how sociocultural issues challenge foreign companies investing in South Korea.

Cherry will base her lecture on interviews conducted between 2009 and 2016 with EU executives, diplomats and trade officials.

Since the late 1990s, foreign direct investments in Korea have yet to reach its full potential despite ongoing reforms here and the implementation of free trade agreements with key trading partners, according to Cherry.

In 2016, Cherry was appointed an adjunct professor at Korea University in Seoul, where she teaches courses on Korean society and business.

The lecture “Building Sandcastles in Seoul: Socio-cultural Barriers to Doing Business in South Korea” will be held on the second floor of the Residents’ Lounge in Somerset Palace on July 12 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Admission is free for RASKB members, 10,000 won ($8.70) for nonmembers, and 5,000 won for students with student ID.

(tangli@heraldcorp.com)