On 3 November 2026 at 13:00 (CET) / 09:00 (Santiago), the UNESCO Chair on Science, Technology and Innovation Policies for Sustainable Development in Latin America at UNU-MERIT and the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) will host an online webinar featuring Keun Lee of Chung-Ang University / Seoul National University on the theme of “Innovación y catching up: lecciones de política de Corea para América Latina y el Caribe.”
For latecomer economies, technological development does not necessarily mean following the same path taken by advanced economies. Specialisation in short-cycle technologies can provide an alternative route to economic catch-up, allowing countries to build technological capabilities before moving into more complex, long-cycle technologies.
In this webinar, Keun Lee will draw on the experience of Korea to discuss this technological “detour” and its relationship with economic growth at different stages of the catching-up process. The session will consider what Korea’s experience can offer policymakers seeking to strengthen innovation capabilities and productive development in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The webinar forms part of the series Innovation and Productive Development: From Research to Policy, organised jointly by ECLAC and the UNU-MERIT UNESCO Chair on Science, Technology and Innovation Policies for Sustainable Development in Latin America. The webinar will take place online. Registration is required.
About the speaker
Dr. Keun Lee is a globally renowned South Korean economist, author, and policy advisor who currently serves as a Distinguished Professor at the School of Economics at Chung-Ang University. He is also an Emeritus Professor at Seoul National University (SNU), where he spent decades shaping the next generation of economic thinkers.Widely recognized as one of the world's leading authorities on economic development, technological innovation, and industrial policy, Dr. Lee’s pioneering research focuses on how latecomer economies and firms successfully navigate the complexities of global markets to "catch up" with advanced nations.
