Korean and Japanese Pension Funds Gather in New York for AIF APAC Program

Korea's National Pension Service (NPS), Korea Investment Corporation (KIC), and Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) gathered in New York on May 13 (local time) for a two-day AIF APAC educational program amid US inflation concerns and global financial market uncertainty. Participants examined US price increases and prolonged high interest rate possibilities, focusing on how expanded artificial intelligence (AI) investment affects the global economy and financial markets. The event provided a platform for major Korean and Japanese pension funds to review asset allocation strategies as institutional investors navigate inflation pressures and technological innovation variables.

AIF APAC Program Brings Together Korean and Japanese Institutional Investors in Manhattan

AIF APAC held the 2026 AIF APAC (American Investment Forum Asia-Pacific) Educational Program in Manhattan, New York on May 13 (local time) for two days. Korean institutional investors including the National Pension Service (NPS) and Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) attended alongside Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF). Officials from the Bank of Korea, Bank of Japan (BOJ), and Japan's Ministry of Finance also participated in the program.

2026 AIF APAC Educational Program Event

Wall Street Economists Address Inflation and AI Investment Concerns on May 13

The program began with a session on global macroeconomic outlook. Torsten Slok, Chief Economist at Apollo Global Management (Apollo), and Mark Shore, Economist at CME Group, served as speakers to assess the global economic and financial market environment. Energy price increases from Middle East conflicts and the possibility of US inflation resurgence emerged as major topics during the session. Participants examined inflationary pressure from supply shocks and how prolonged high interest rates affect economic growth and investment environments.

Discussions on the AI investment boom continued. Key issues included whether large-scale data center investments can lead to actual corporate profitability improvements and whether investor capital is excessively concentrated in AI-related assets. Subsequent private equity (PE) sessions covered investment recovery and liquidity securing methods, secondary transactions, and net asset value (NAV)-based financing. The private credit session examined asset allocation strategies tailored to investor objectives and reviewed investment opportunities and risk factors in asset-backed financing (ABF).

Korea-Japan Pension Strategy Roundtable Scheduled for May 14

On May 14, the program will hold a joint roundtable on Korean and Japanese pension management strategies. Kazuto Uchida, President of Japan's GPIF, will deliver the keynote speech. AIF Global and FinCity.Tokyo, Japan's international financial city promotion organization, will co-host the roundtable. Pension fund officials from both countries will share long-term investment strategies to respond to population aging and changing financial market environments. Topics include portfolio diversification, alternative investment expansion, strengthening governance and risk management capabilities, and improving long-term investment performance.

Jung Sam-young, AIF APAC Chief Advisor (KIC Operating Committee Member) in Conversation with Global Investors

Apollo CEO Marc Rowan to Meet Program Participants

An afternoon session on May 14 includes a meeting with Marc Rowan, CEO of Apollo Global Management. Participants will visit Apollo's office where Rowan will personally receive them. Randy Cohen, Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School, will also present on the topic "Are We in a Bubble?"

FAQ

What is the AIF APAC educational program held in New York?

The 2026 AIF APAC (American Investment Forum Asia-Pacific) Educational Program is a two-day event held in Manhattan, New York on May 13-14 (local time). Major Korean and Japanese institutional investors including Korea's National Pension Service (NPS), Korea Investment Corporation (KIC), and Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) attended to discuss global economic outlook, inflation concerns, AI investment trends, and pension fund strategies.

Why did Korean and Japanese pension funds gather on May 13?

Korean and Japanese pension funds gathered to examine US inflation concerns and global financial market uncertainty. Participants focused on US price increases, prolonged high interest rate possibilities, and how expanded artificial intelligence (AI) investment affects the global economy and financial markets, reviewing asset allocation strategies amid these variables.

Who spoke at the May 13 economic outlook session?

Torsten Slok, Chief Economist at Apollo Global Management, and Mark Shore, Economist at CME Group, served as speakers for the global macroeconomic outlook session. They assessed the global economic and financial market environment, with discussions covering energy price increases from Middle East conflicts, US inflation resurgence possibilities, and AI investment concentration concerns.