S. Korea, ASEAN seek ‘sustainable, resilient future’ with elevated partnership

Government officials and renowned scholars from South Korea and member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations convened at an international conference to chart pathways for further developing cooperation, building on the October milestone that elevated Korea-ASEAN relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The International Conference on ASEAN-Korea Partnership 2024 was held Thursday under the theme "Towards a Sustainable and Resilient Future" at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul, co-organized by the ASEAN-Korea Center and Korean Association of Southeast Asian Studies.

Reflecting on milestones achieved over the years on the back of shared values and mutual interests, Kim Jae-shin, secretary-general of the ASEAN-Korea Center, shed light on the significance of Korea's relations with ASEAN nations.

"During the ASEAN-Korea Summit last month, our leaders elevated our partnership to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, reflecting our shared ambition to elevate our cooperation to the highest level," Kim said in his opening remarks, as he expressed optimism about taking ties to the next level in years to come.

"ASEAN is now Korea's second-largest trading partner, its third-largest investment destination and the most-visited region by Koreans. This dynamic partnership spans political-security, economic and sociocultural cooperation," Kim underscored.

The conference carried exceptional significance, occurring just one month after Korea-ASEAN relations were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership -- the highest level of ASEAN partnership -- during the October summit in Vientiane. The upgraded partnership promises expanded cooperation across diverse fields, from artificial intelligence and environmental sustainability to smart city development.

This year also marks the 35th anniversary of diplomatic dialogue between South Korea and ASEAN.

Saleumxay Kommasith, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs for Laos, the ASEAN chair for 2024, pointed out that ASEAN-South Korean cooperation has enjoyed "dynamic and continuous" growth in the areas of politics, security, economy, culture and social ties.

Kommasith said the South Korea has been a "meaningful partner" of ASEAN since establishing dialogue relations in 1989 and has been pivotal in strengthening economic cooperation.

"For example, the Comprehensive Cooperation Partnership established in 2004 and the ASEAN-ROK FTA in 2007 have been pivotal in ASEAN-ROK's economic cooperation. The New Southern Policy introduced in 2017 has further enhanced ASEAN-ROK ties, bringing renewed focus to areas such as trade, investment and people-to-people connectivity."

Republic of Korea is the formal name of South Korea.

Saying that this year marks the "beginning of a new era" for Korea and ASEAN, Kim Hong-kyun, first vice minister of South Korea's Foreign Ministry, noted that the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will elevate Korea-ASEAN ties to a "new height."

"In less than three years since President Yoon Suk Yeol took office, we have accomplished a great deal together, including 37 summit meetings and 17 prime ministerial engagements."

"Also, since we established dialogues in 1989, two-way trade has increased 23-fold, reaching $187 billion. People-to-people exchanges have skyrocketed, rising 37-fold and surpassing 10 million. Moreover, Korea's Indo-Pacific Strategy, which was unveiled at the ASEAN summit two years ago, places ASEAN at its core," Kim said.

Kim also called for sending a "united message" against North Korea's provocative and destabilizing acts.

"For the peace, stability and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and broader Indo-Pacific region, including North and Southeast Asia, ASEAN and the ROK must stand united, sending a clear message that North Korea's unendurable actions will not be tolerated."

Dato' Astanah Abdul Aziz, deputy secretary-general of ASEAN for the ASEAN political-security community, highlighted that fostering more dialogue and cooperation between ASEAN and South Korea in the future can promote "sustainable development" in the region, as well as advance the partnership in a way that is meaningful, substantive and mutually beneficial.

This year's conference featured four sessions: envisioning the ASEAN-Korea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, fostering economic resilience for sustainable growth, nurturing sociocultural ties in the ASEAN-Korea partnership and charting the ASEAN-Korea Center’s strategic vision.