Ministry of Foreign Affairs Holds 2nd Korea-ASEAN Think Tank Strategic Dialogue... Discussing Expansion of Cooperation

Discussion on the Direction for Advancing the South Korea Government's New Southern Policy and Strengthening Korea-ASEAN Cooperation

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 6th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs held the "2nd Korea-ASEAN Think Tank Strategic Dialogue" under the theme of "Seeking a New Vision for the Korea-ASEAN Partnership" with experts from representative diplomatic and security think tanks of the 10 ASEAN member countries.

Considering the COVID-19 situation, this meeting was held in a hybrid video conference format connecting the Seoul Diplomatic Town and the Hanoi conference venue.

Attendees included Kim Jun-hyung, President of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy; Park Bok-young, Chairman of the New Southern Policy Special Committee; Jang Jae-bok, Public Diplomacy Ambassador of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Park Jae-kyung, Director-General of the ASEAN Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Nguyen Hong Son, Acting President of the Vietnam Diplomatic Academy; and experts from 10 think tanks belonging to the ASEAN think tank consortium.

The Korean and ASEAN diplomatic and security think tank experts attending this meeting presented and discussed evaluations and prospects of the post-COVID-19 regional strategic environment, directions for advancing the Korean government’s New Southern Policy, and ways to strengthen Korea-ASEAN cooperation.

In his opening remarks, Kim Jun-hyung, President of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, emphasized the importance of Korea-ASEAN cooperation amid crises such as the spread of COVID-19 and the intensifying US-China strategic competition. Park Bok-young, Chairman of the New Southern Policy Special Committee, introduced that the government is preparing to advance the New Southern Policy focusing on people-centered cooperation to enhance mutual trust, building resilient regional supply chains, and cooperation related to the 4th Industrial Revolution, expressing hope to overcome COVID-19 and strengthen Korea-ASEAN cooperation in the long term.

Jang Jae-bok, Public Diplomacy Ambassador, noted that COVID-19 served as an opportunity to remind the importance of public diplomacy in enhancing mutual understanding and trust, and expressed hope that this dialogue would establish itself as an institutionalized platform to strengthen Korea-ASEAN regional cooperation.

The diplomatic and security think tank experts attending the meeting evaluated that the need and opportunities for strengthening regional cooperation between Korea and ASEAN have expanded in the global strategic environment of increased uncertainty due to COVID-19, and raised the necessity to seek a more strategic and pioneering partnership through the advancement of the New Southern Policy.

In the first session, which was publicly broadcast online in real time, emphasis was placed on analyzing cooperation opportunities and challenges between Korea and ASEAN amid a weakening position of middle powers and the spread of COVID-19, and the need to seek ways to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation focusing on areas such as health and infrastructure. In the second session, held privately, participants exchanged opinions on strategic and future-oriented advancement of the New Southern Policy and expansion of Korea-ASEAN cooperation.

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained, "The 2nd Korea-ASEAN Think Tank Strategic Dialogue served as an opportunity to solidify the institutional foundation for enhancing mutual understanding and trust and preparing a joint vision, even in a situation where face-to-face meetings are difficult due to COVID-19," and added, "Through co-hosting with the official ASEAN diplomatic and security think tank consortium, it is expected that the interest and cooperation of ASEAN countries in the Korean government’s New Southern Policy and its advancement plans will increase."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.