The inaugural conference was convened after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami with the theme , '' Cooperation and Rebuilding after the Tsunami '' . '' The ChosunIlbo '' proposed that South Korea , after overcoming extreme poverty and political turmoil , should take a leading role in the post tsunami period . Korea needed to be a model and provide the vision for future development . While the conference was initially a forum for Asian issues , it developed into an international event finding commonality in political , economic , and social topics
2004 Indian Ocean tsunami
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
Asian Leadership Conference