Seoul will host an international conference on Friday, providing a platform for financial experts from across the world to discuss ways of turning the city into a global financial hub and exchange opinions on other issues.

The Seoul International Finance Conference, the fourth of its kind, will be attended by renowned financial policymakers, industry experts and academics. The 2006 gathering was attended by former Federal Reserve chairman Allen Greenspan, while the 2007 and 2008 conferences drew Nobel-prize winning economists Joseph Stiglitz, Robert Mendel and investor Jim Rogers.

According to the Global Financial Centers Index provided by the City of London and the Z/Yen Group on Sep. 22 , Seoul's competitiveness as a financial hub was ranked 35th, up 18 notches from their previous report a year ago.

This year's SIFIC, under the title "Seoul, a Financial Hub after Crisis" is expected to be the largest yet with around 20 speakers, panelists and 400 participants. Dominic Barton, chairman of McKinsey Asia-Pacific and head of an international advisory committee to President Lee Myung-bak, is to deliver a keynote speech.

Seoul will hold investor relations meetings at the Seoul International Finance Centre and the Digital Media City on Thursday along with a welcoming dinner for guests.