Yoon Attends ASEAN+Korea-China-Japan Summit... Explains Indo-Pacific Regional Cooperation Plan

Emphasizing Hanin-tae Strategy and Exploring Cooperation Plans Among ASEAN, Korea, China, and Japan

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Phnom Penh (Cambodia) = Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] On the second day of his Southeast Asia tour, June 12 (local time), President Yoon Suk-yeol will attend the 'ASEAN+3' (Korea-China-Japan) summit. At this event, President Yoon is expected to reiterate the Korean government's Indo-Pacific strategy based on the three visions of freedom, peace, and prosperity, and the three cooperation principles of inclusiveness, trust, and mutual benefit, as well as explain practical cooperation plans between ASEAN and Korea-China-Japan.

Early in the morning, President Yoon will attend the ASEAN+3 summit held at a hotel in Phnom Penh, where the nine ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member countries and the leaders of Korea, China, and Japan will gather.

ASEAN+3 is a regional functional cooperation body consisting of ASEAN countries and Korea, China, and Japan, launched in response to the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are expected to attend this ASEAN+3 summit. Although there was a possibility that Prime Minister Kishida might not attend due to domestic political schedules, it was reported that he conveyed his intention to attend by traveling early morning via a private plane the day before.

The last time the leaders of Korea, China, and Japan gathered in one place was at the Korea-China-Japan summit held in China in December 2019. This time, no separate Korea-China-Japan summit will be held apart from ASEAN.

President Yoon is expected to explain plans to enhance practical cooperation between ASEAN and Korea-China-Japan. At the Korea-ASEAN summit the day before, President Yoon declared the Korean government's first Indo-Pacific strategy, which will be implemented based on the three cooperation principles of inclusiveness, trust, and mutual benefit founded on freedom, peace, and prosperity.

As a key measure of the specific Indo-Pacific strategy, he announced the 'Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative' (KASI). He proposed deepening diplomatic and security cooperation by regularizing Korea-ASEAN foreign ministers' strategic dialogues and Korea-ASEAN defense ministers' meetings, and explained plans to strengthen economic cooperation by upgrading the Korea-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to reflect digital trade cooperation and collaborating in the fields of electric vehicles, batteries, and digital sectors.

President Yoon particularly proposed "upgrading the Korea-ASEAN relationship to a 'Comprehensive Strategic Partnership' (CSP)."

While the United States and Japan have mentioned freedom and openness in their Indo-Pacific strategies, President Yoon presented Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy emphasizing peace and prosperity instead of openness. This is interpreted as reflecting an intention to maintain peace and prosperity without completely excluding China. President Yoon and the presidential office have consistently emphasized a 'mutually beneficial' stance regarding Korea-China relations.

Meanwhile, President Yoon will attend a gala dinner hosted by the Cambodian president, chair of the 'ASEAN+3,' in the evening.

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