PECC Co-Chair Dr. Richard Cantor attended the APEC Finance Ministers’ Meeting and Structural Reform Ministerial Meeting in Incheon from Oct. 21-23 where he offered a presentation to Ministers on the outcomes of PECC work this year. He focused his remarks on the adoption and pillars of the Yeouido Declaration, outcomes of the signature project on demographics, topical updates on AI and innovation, advancing the FTAAP, and offered a first look at the 2025-2026 PECC State of the Region Report.

(Photo Credits: APEC)

 On the margins of these meetings, US-PECC, the Korea Institute of International Economic Policy (KIEP) and AIF Global held a symposium on Improving Retirement Savings in the Asia-Pacific. This event brought together policymakers, researchers, and financial leaders to share practical ideas for building sustainable and equitable retirement systems.

Dr. Sungbae An (KIEP), S. Ali Abbas (IMF), Chong Hyun Won (National Pension Service), Hidekazu Ishida (FinCity Tokyo), Flore-Anne Messy (OECD), and Sunghwan Shin (Bank of Korea) offered insights on how APEC economies can design stronger, more future-ready pension frameworks. Richard Cantor (PECC and Moody’s Ratings) and Sam Chung (AIF Global) guided thoughtful discussions on policy innovation and collaboration.
In the closing roundtable, Michaela Browning (Brunswick Group and ABAC Australia), Songyee Yoon (Principal Venture Partners), and Matthew Michelini (Apollo Capital Management) highlighted how private capital and financial innovation can help create more resilient retirement systems for the region’s future.

The shared message was clear: Asia-Pacific economies must act now to reform their retirement systems. Strengthening savings frameworks, improving fiscal sustainability, and expanding access today will determine how well APEC economies support aging populations tomorrow.

The presentations from the event will be available to view here: https://app.glueup.com/event/improving-retirement-savings-in-the-asia-pacific-156346/