It is with great pleasure and excitement that we welcome you to the 2023 MOEF-BOK-FSC-IMF International Conference, an international gathering of minds and talents from across the globe.

The growth of digital money in recent years underlies many purported benefits that can boost productivity and improve economic outcomes. Prospects of greater efficiency, lower costs, and higher inclusion have the potential to enhance people’s access to financial services. Concurrent with the large interest, concerns about financial stability risks have surfaced, and the failures of important entities underscore the need for stronger consumer and investor protection along with better governance and regulation of crypto activities. As the debate between the benefits and risks of digital money crystalizes, policymakers are called to decide on strategic policy choices and regulatory paths.

In this context, the Korean Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Bank of Korea, the Korean Financial Services Commission, and the International Monetary Fund are hosting the 2023 MOEF-BOK-FSC-IMF International Conference on December 14 to 15 under the theme of Digital Money: Navigating a Changing Financial Landscape.

The conference will provide a forum to discuss opportunities and challenges from digital money with distinguished policymakers, academics, and market participants from around the world. Expert panel discussions will cover many topical issues around the adoption and integration of digital money in the global economy, approaches to crypto regulation, prospects for use cases of digital money, and the future role of central banks for digital money, among others.

We hope that this conference will serve as a fruitful platform for sharing experiences and insights, and will prepare us for a rapidly changing financial landscape.

Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you in Seoul!