Circle is stepping up its push into Korea with an invitation-only gathering in Seoul, industry officials said Monday, as the issuer of the USDC stablecoin seeks closer ties with banks, crypto exchanges and payments companies. The event, called Current Seoul, will be held July 23 at Josun Palace. It follows CEO Jeremy Allaire's visit to Korea about three months ago, when he met with local financial companies to explore potential partnerships. Held under the theme "Korea at a Crypto Inflection," the gathering is expected to draw senior executives from crypto exchanges, banks, payments companies and super-app operators. Discussions will focus on regulation, industry cooperation and the development of longer-term partnerships, according to the event's registration website. Circle speakers include Dante Disparte, chief strategy officer and head of global policy and operations; David Allan Katz, vice president of strategy and policy for Asia-Pacific; Ben Morris, vice president of business development; and Yam Ki Chan, head of Asia-Pacific. Kakao Pay CEO Shin Won-keun and Park Jong-baek, a par