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Ministry of Foreign Affairs REPUBLIC OF KOREA

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  1. PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE

Overview

Policy Information
  2. Policy Information
  3. International Organization
  4. ASEAN
  5. Overview

    • ASEAN(Association of southeast Asian Nations)

      Brief Histroy

      ROK-ASEAN Relations table
      1989 Sectoral Dialogue Partner
      1991 Full Dialogue Partner
      1997 First ASEAN Plus Three Summit (on the sidelines of the 2nd ASEAN Informal Summit)
      2004 Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Cooperation Partnership (at the 8th ASEAN-ROK Summit)
      2005 ASEAN-ROK Plan of Action (at the 9th ASEAN-ROK Summit)
      2007 Signing of the MOU on the establishment of the ASEAN-Korea Centre (at the 11th ASEAN-ROK Summit)
      2007 Entry into force of the ASEAN-ROK Trade in Goods Agreement
      2009 Inauguration of the ASEAN-Korea Centre in Seoul ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit
      2009 Entry into force of the ASEAN-ROK Trade in Services Agreement and Investment Agreement
      2010 Adoption of the Joint Declaration on ASEAN-ROK Strategic, Partnership for Peace and Prosperity and its Action Plan for the period of 2011-2015 (at the 13th ASEAN-ROK Summit)
      2011 1st Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Adoption of the Han-River Declaration
      2012 Establishment of the ROK Mission to ASEAN in Jakarta
      2014 ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit in Busan
      2015 Plan of Action for the ASEAN-ROK Strategic Partnership, 17th ASEAN-ROK Summit in Malaysia
      2016 18th ASEAN-ROK Summit in Vientiane
      2017 Inauguration of the ASEAN Culture House in Busan, 19th ASEAN-ROK Summit in Manila
      2018 20th ASEAN-ROK Summit in Singapore
      2019 ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit, 1st Mekong-ROK Summit in Busan
      2020 21st ASEAN-ROK Summit (Video Conference, Viet Nam)
      2021 22nd ASEAN-ROK Summit (video conference, Brunei Darussalam)
      2022 23rd ASEAN-ROK Summit in Cambodia
      2023 24th ASEAN-ROK Summit in Indonesia

      Overview

      ASEAN and the Republic of Korea first established sectoral dialogue relations in November 1989. The ROK was accorded a full dialogue partner status by ASEAN at the 24th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, which took place in Kuala Lumpur in July 1991. The year 2004 marked the 15th anniversary of ROK-ASEAN dialogue relations. To commemorate this occasion and to chart a new path for ASEAN-ROK relations for the 21st century, the ROK and ASEAN announced the Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Cooperation Partnership at the 8th ASEAN-ROK Summit on November 30, 2004 in Vientiane. The Joint Declaration provided a blueprint for advancing ASEAN-ROK relations in a more comprehensive and substantive manner.

      In 2005, the ASEAN-ROK Plan of Action was adopted to implement the goals set out in the Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Cooperation Partnership and to promote political, economic, social, and cultural cooperation. It also laid out ways to support ASEAN to build a fully integrated ASEAN community by 2020.

      In 2009, ASEAN and the ROK celebrated the 20th anniversary of ASEAN-ROK dialogue relations by holding a commemorative summit on June 1-2, 2009 in Jeju. The ASEAN-Korea Center was also established in accordance with the MOU signed by the ten ASEAN Member States and the ROK at the 11th ASEAN-ROK Summit in 2007.

      At the 13th ASEAN-ROK Summit, which took place in Ha Noi on October 29, 2010, leaders agreed to elevate ASEAN-ROK dialogue relations to a strategic partnership. At the Summit, leaders also adopted the Joint Declaration on ASEAN-ROK Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity and its Plan of Action for the period of 2011-2015. In 2015, a new Plan of Action was adopted for the period of 2016-2020.

      In September 2012, the ROK established its Mission to ASEAN in Jakarta and appointed the first resident ambassador in October to deepen its cooperation with ASEAN.

      ASEAN and the ROK celebrated the 25th anniversary of ASEAN-ROK dialogue relations by holding a commemorative Summit on December 11-12, 2014 in Busan. In order to renew their commitment to taking ASEAN-ROK cooperation to a higher level, leaders agreed to adopt a Joint Statement titled : Our Future Vision of ASEAN-ROK Strategic Partnership, “Building Trust, Bringing Happiness.“

      In 2017, the ROK announced the launch of the New Southern Policy. The overall goal of this policy is to substantially enhance the partnership between ASEAN and the ROK based on the 3Ps (people, prosperity, and peace), which correspond with the three pillars of the ASEAN Community. At the 21st ASEAN-ROK Summit in 2020, President Moon announced the New Southern Policy Plus, an upgraded version of the New Southern Policy reflecting changes in the global and regional environment.

      In 2019, ASEAN and the ROK celebrated the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-ROK dialogue relations with a commemorative Summit on November 25-26 in Busan. Leaders adopted the ASEAN-ROK Joint Vision Statement to provide a strategic framework for solidifying the ASEAN-ROK partnership in the years ahead. In 2020, ASEAN and the ROK adopted a Plan of Action to implement the Joint Vision Statement, and in 2021 adopted the Joint Statement on Advancing ASEAN-ROK Cooperation for People-centered Community of Peace and Prosperity.

      In 2022, ROK President Yoon Seok-Yeol announced the launch of the Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative(KASI) as a regional policy specifically tailored to ASEAN within the framework of its Indo-Pacific Strategy. KASI builds on the existing solid partnership with ASEAN spanning trade, economy and social-cultural areas towards fostering a more comprehensive partnership that encompasses cooperation in security (both traditional and non-traditional) as well as future and emerging areas.

    • Political and Security Cooperation

      ASEAN-ROK cooperation in the political sector has been strengthened through various channels such as summits, ministerial meetings, and senior officials meetings. The ROK has played an active role and contributed to advancing the following cooperation mechanisms.

      The ROK has been actively engaged in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) since its establishment in 1994. The ROK co-chaired the AFR Inter-Sessional Meeting on Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (2018-2020) and is serving as a co-chair of the ASF ISM on ICTs Security (2021-2023). The Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea has also participated in the ARF since 2000. The ROK has participated in the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus to increase cooperation in the seven priority areas of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, maritime security, military medicine, counter terrorism, peace-keeping operations, humanitarian mine action, and cyber security.

      In 2019, the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime with the ROK was launched, providing an opportunity to deepen cooperation between ASEAN and the ROK on counter-terrorism and transnational crime. The 2nd Meeting was held in September 2021.

    • Economic Cooperation

      The ROK and ASEAN are invaluable trading partners to one another. In 2021, the trade volume between ASEAN and the ROK recorded 176.5 billion USD. ASEAN feing ROK's second largest trading partner. Furthermore, ASEAN is the ROK’s second largest investment destination with the foreign direct investment inflow from the ROK reaching 9.77 billion USD in 2020, and 6.15 billion in 2021 respectively.

      ASEAN Member States and the ROK signed the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation in Kuala Lumpur on December 13, 2005. The ASEAN-ROK Trade in Goods Agreement was signed on August 24, 2006 and came into force in June 2007. The ASEAN-ROK Trade in Services Agreement was signed on November 21, 2007 and took effect on May 1, 2009. The ASEAN-ROK Investment Agreement was signed on June 2, 2009 and came into force on September 1, 2009.

      Subsequently, the ASEAN-ROK Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA) came into effect on January 1, 2010. The 3rd Protocol to Amend the ASEAN-ROK Trade in Goods Agreement was signed in November 2015. The 3rd Protocol has entered into force for the ROK and all ASEAN Member States except Viet Nam.

      In 2019, the ROK and ASEAN launched the Dialogue between the ASEAN Secretary-General and the Association of ASEAN Korean Chambers as a new communication channel in order to cultivate a favorable environment for businesses and investment. The ROK and ASEAN are also working closely in infrastructure and future industries, such as those related to digital and green economies, in accordance with the ROK’s New Southern Policy Plus and ASEAN’s development strategies and initiatives like Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity(MPAC) 2025.

      The ROK is also providing support for ASEAN’s efforts to narrow the development gap and improve the integration through promoting connectivity. The ROK is helping ASEAN to implement MPAC and Initiative for ASEAN Integration Programmes by conducting various programs such as the ASEAN Public Data Development Project, Technical Vocational Education and Training(TVET), and the K-City Network International Cooperation Program. Furthermore, ROK has initiated hosting Connectivity Forum with ASEAN Member States.

      The ROK has also been working on promoting sub-regional economic cooperation including Mekong-ROK cooperation and BIMP-EAGA-ROK cooperation by hosting the First Mekong-ROK Summit on November 27, 2019 in Busan and launching the BIMP-EAGA-ROK Cooperation Fund in 2021.

    • Social & Cultural Cooperation

      ASEAN and the ROK are deepening social and cultural cooperation through various programs and interactions. Faced with the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis, the ROK and ASEAN have been working closely in the public health area. The ROK has provided support for ASEAN and its Member States by making contributions to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund and by conducting Enhancing the Detection Capacity for COVID-19 in ASEAN countries and the COVID-19 Comprehensive Response Program. ASEAN and the ROK also agreed to launch the ASEAN-ROK Health Ministers’ Meeting in 2022.

      As non-traditional security threats such as climate change and environmental pollution are increasing in the region, ASEAN and the ROK have been stepping up cooperation to strengthen their response to these threats. As part of such efforts, ASEAN and the ROK held the Dialogue on Environment and Climate Change in September 2021. The ASEAN-ROK Ministerial Meeting on Disaster Management will be launched in 2022 to further increase cooperation.

      The ROK and ASEAN have implemented the ASEAN-ROK Media People Exchanges Programme and the ASEAN-ROK Film Leaders Incubator since 2012. The ROK and ASEAN are also carrying out various youth programs such as the ASEAN-Korean Youth Exchange, the Cultural Community Building Programme, and the ASEAN-Korea Frontiers Forum to provide the young people of ASEAN and the ROK opportunities to experience each other’s culture and promote understanding.

      On education, the ROK has contributed to increasing ASEAN’s competitiveness by various means such as providing funds for the ASEAN-ROK Scholarship for Korean Studies Programme coordinated by the ASEAN University Network and carrying out Training Projects for ASEAN Children’s Librarians since 2010.

      Furthermore, the ROK became ASEAN’s first dialogue partner to establish an ASEAN culture center outside the region. Established in 2017 in Busan the ASEAN Culture House plays a key role in introducing various historical, social, and cultural aspects of the ten ASEAN Member States to Korean people. The ASEAN Culture House concluded an MOU with the ASEAN Cultural Center in Bangkok in 2019 to promote cultural exchanges between ASEAN and the ROK.

      ASEAN Culture House Website

    • ASEAN-Korea Centre

      The ASEAN-Korea Centre was established in March 2009 in Seoul. As an international organization, the centre plays a crucial role in expanding economic cooperation and facilitating cultural partnership between ASEAN Member States and the ROK.

      ASEAN-Korea Centre Website

    • ASEAN-ROK Cooperation Fund

      The ASEAN-ROK Cooperation Fund (AKCF) was launched in 1990 to further strengthen the ASEAN-ROK relations by implementing cooperation projects outlined in the ASEAN-ROK Plan of Action. In 2019, the ROK government doubled its annual contribution from US$7 million to US$14 million, and 2023, this was further increased to US$20 million in order to facilitate close cooperation with ASEAN.

      The AKCF has supported more than 420 projects agreed by both parties in areas ranging from technology transfer, economic development, and human resource development to people-to-people exchange. The strategic direction of the AKCF is defined in the Framework for the ASEAN-ROK Cooperation Fund 2021-2025. The overall goal of the framework is to contribute to the realization of the ASEAN Vision 2025 in accordance with the selected priorities laid out in the ASEAN-ROK Plan of Action (2021-2025).

      ASEAN Korea Cooperation Fund Website

  2. ASEAN Plus Three(ASEAN+3)

    The ASEAN Plus Three cooperation began in December 1997 with the convening of an informal Summit among the Leaders of ASEAN and their counterparts from East Asia, namely China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) at the sidelines of the Second ASEAN Informal Summit in Malaysia.

    The ASEAN Plus Three process was institutionalised in 1999 when the Leaders issued a Joint Statement on East Asia Cooperation at their 3rd ASEAN Plus Three Summit in Manila. The ASEAN Plus Three Leaders expressed greater resolve and confidence in further strengthening and deepening East Asia cooperation at various levels and in various areas, particularly in economic and social, political, and other fields.

    Since then, a number of key documents have been adopted to set the direction for ASEAN Plus Three cooperation. These include the Report of the East Asia Vision Group (EAVG) of 2001 and the Report of the East Asia Study Group (EASG) of 2002. The Final Report of the EASG was adopted by the ASEAN Leaders at the ASEAN Plus Three Summit in 2002 in Cambodia. The Report contains 17 short-term measures, and 9 medium and long-term measures.

    Cooperation among the ASEAN and Plus Three countries is progressing well. ASEAN and Plus Three Countries hold regular dialogue and consultations at the summit, ministerial, senior officials and working groups/expert levels to strengthen and deepen cooperation.

    Currently, there are over 60 mechanisms under the ASEAN Plus Three process, coordinating 22 areas of ASEAN Plus Three cooperation, which include economic and finance, political and security, tourism, agriculture, environment, energy, and ICT. The ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation Work Plan 2023-2027 serves as a principal guide to enhance ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation over the next five years.

    ASEAN Website

    ASEAN+3 Website

  3. EAS(East Asia Summit)

    • East Asia Summit, comprised of 18 countries, is a premier Leaders-led forum for dialogue and cooperation on strategic, political, and economic issues of common interest. It aims promoting peace, stability, and economic prosperity in East Asia.

      EAS was established in 2005 with 16 participants, including ten ASEAN countries, Republic of Korea, People’s Republic of China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and India, as one of cooperation projects that the East Asia Study Group (EASG) recommended in 2002 for the establishment of East Asia Community. The United States of America and the Russian Federation joined in 2011, expanding the membership to 18.

      The EAS Areas of cooperation have been expanded continuously and there are 15+ areas identified in the EAS Plan of Action(2024-2028), namely 1. Peace and Security, 2. Sustainable Development, 3. Climate, Environment and Energy Cooperation, 4. Education Cooperation, 5. Finance, 6. Health, including Pandemic Diseases, 7. Cooperation on Natural Disaster Management, 8. Cooperation on ASEAN Connectivity, 9. Economic Cooperation and Trade, 10. Poverty Alleviation, 11. Food Security, 12. Maritime Cooperation, 13. Strengthening EAS Institutional Capacity, 14. Tourism Cooperation, 15. Advancement and Empowerment of Women and Youth Participation, 16. Others as identified by Leaders and Ministers.

      EAS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Senior Officials’ Meeting are held annually along with the East Asia Summit. EAS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting(FMM), which started as a working lunch, has been held annually since 2008 as a separate meeting to prepare for the Summit and discuss on major regional and international affairs and EAS cooperation. EAS Senior Officials’ Meeting(SOM), usually attended by Deputy Ministers, are also held to prepare for the Summit and Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and exchange opinions on major regional and international affairs.

  4. ARF(ASEAN Regional Forum)

    • ROK - ARF Relations

      The ASEAN Regional Forum(ARF), comprised of 27 Asia-Pacific countries, is a multilateral security mechanism designed to promote mutual trust and understanding as well as to seek peace, security and prosperity in the region. Since its establishment in 1994, the ROK has participated in the ARF, which is held annually in a city according to ASEAN chairmanship.

      In the ARF, member states expand their cooperation activities, focusing on the five areas, which include Disaster Relief, Maritime Security, Non-proliferation and Disarmament, Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crimes, and ICT Security.

      The ARF member states also share their views on regional and international issues in the ARF. By exchanging their ideas, the members enhance mutual understanding and trust, further their dialogue and cooperation, and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

      ARF website

  5. Mekong-ROK Cooperation Strengthening the cooperative relations between the ROK and the five Mekong countries (Cambodia, the Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam)

    • Overview of Mekong-ROK Cooperation

      • History

        한-메콩 발전 경위 표 - 일자, 내용
        Dec. 1992 the ROK’s participation in the Mekong Donor Countries’ Meeting
        Oct. 2010 the ROK president‘s proposal to launch the Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting at the 13th ASEAN-ROK Summit
        Oct. 2011 1st Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Seoul)
        - Adopted the Han-River Declaration of Establishing Mekong-ROK Comprehensive Partnership for Mutual Prosperity
        July. 2012 2nd Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Phnom Penh)
        - Agreed to establish the Mekong-ROK Cooperation Fund
        - Agreed to designate 2014 as the Mekong-ROK Exchange Year
        May. 2013 1st Mekong-ROK Business Forum (Bangkok)
        June. 2013 3rd Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Bandar Seri Begawan)
        - Established the Mekong-ROK Cooperation Fund and adopted its TOR
        May. 2014 2nd Mekong-ROK Business Forum (Hanoi)
        July. 2014 4th Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Seoul)
        - Adopted the 1st Mekong-ROK Plan of Action (2014-2017)
        July. 2015 3rd Mekong-ROK Business Forum (Phnom Penh)
        Aug. 2015 5th Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Kuala Lumpur)
        June. 2016 4th Mekong-ROK Business Forum (Yangon)
        July. 2016 6th Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Vientiane)
        Sept. 2017 7th Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Busan)
        - Adopted the 2nd Mekong-ROK Plan of Action (2017-2020)
        Oct. 2017 5th Mekong-ROK Business Forum (Vientiane)
        Aug. 2018 8th Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Singapore)
        Nov. 2018 the ROK president’s proposal to launch the 1st Mekong-ROK Summit in 2019 at the 20th ASEAN-ROK Summit
        Dec. 2018 6th Mekong-ROK Business Forum (Seoul)
        Aug. 2019 9th Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Bangkok)
        Oct. 2019 7th Mekong-ROK Business Forum (Bangkok)
        Nov. 2019 1st Mekong-ROK Summit (Busan)
        - Adopted the Mekong-Han River Declaration for Establishing Partnership for People, Peace and Prosperity
        - Agreed to designate 2021 as the Mekong-ROK Exchange Year in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of ministerial-level exchange
        Sept. 2020 10th Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (virtual format)
        - Adopted the 3rd Mekong-ROK Plan of Action (2021-25)
        Nov. 2020 2nd Mekong-ROK Summit (virtual format)
        - Agreed to elevate the Mekong-ROK relations to a “Strategic Partnership for People, Prosperity, and Peace”
        Dec. 2020 8th Mekong-ROK Business Forum (Hanoi, hybrid format)
        Sept. 2021 11th Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Seoul, hybrid format)
        - Agreed to extend the Mekong-ROK Exchange Year until 2022
        Dec. 2021 9th Mekong-ROK Business Forum (virtual format)

        • Political and Security Cooperation

          • The ROK has established diplomatic relations with the five Mekong countries (Cambodia, the Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam), and the Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting has been held on a regular basis since 2011. The Mekong-ROK Cooperation has been further strengthened after the ROK hosted the 1st Mekong-ROK Summit in Busan in November 2019. At the 2nd Mekong-ROK Summit held in 2020, Mekong-ROK relations were elevated to a Strategic Partnership for People, Prosperity and Peace.

        • Economic Cooperation (as of 2020)

          • Trade volume: 83.2 billion USD
          • Investment: 4.4 billion USD
          • Infrastructure: 3.3 billion USD
          • People-to-people exchanges (2019): 8 million visitors
            • the ROK → Mekong: 6.75 million, Mekong → the ROK: 1.34 million
          • ODA: 4.4 billion USD in total from 1987 to 2020

      • Mekong-ROK Cooperation Mechanism

        • Mekong-ROK Summit

          • At the 20th ASEAN-ROK Summit in 2018, the ROK President proposed holding a Mekong-ROK Summit. The five Mekong countries accepted the proposal, and the Mekong-ROK Summit has been held on a regular basis since then. The goal of the Mekong-ROK Summit is to contribute to ASEAN integration and community building by strengthening cooperation between the ROK and the Mekong region, which is crucial for narrowing the development gap within ASEAN.

        • Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

          • The ROK President first suggested holding the Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on a regular basis at the 13th ASEAN-ROK Summit in 2010. With the support of the five Mekong countries, the Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting has set milestones in the history of Mekong-ROK Cooperation by adopting important outcome documents such as the Han-River Declaration and the Mekong-ROK Plan of Action.

        • Mekong-ROK Senior Officials’ Meeting

          • At the 1st Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in 2011, the Ministers agreed to hold the Mekong-ROK Senior Officials’ Meeting annually. Since then, the Mekong-ROK Senior Officials’ Meeting has provided a venue for the six Senior Officials to prepare for the upcoming Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, conduct a comprehensive review of the progress made in Mekong-ROK joint projects, and discuss the future direction of Mekong-ROK Cooperation.

        • Mekong-ROK Business Forum

          • The Mekong-ROK Business Forum was launched at the 2nd Mekong-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in 2012 to strengthen public-private partnerships between the Mekong region and the ROK and to achieve concrete outcomes in Mekong-ROK Cooperation. Since the 1st Mekong-ROK Business Forum took place in Bangkok, Thailand in 2013, the ROK and the five Mekong countries have been taking turns in hosting the Mekong-ROK Business Forum, fostering the exchange and growth of small and medium enterprises.

        • Mekong-ROK Cooperation Fund

          • The Mekong-ROK Cooperation Fund was established in 2012 in a bid to strengthen Mekong-ROK cooperation and contribute to narrowing the development gap and promoting connectivity through sustainable development of the five Mekong countries. Since 2013, the ROK has contributed 14.42 million USD to the Mekong-ROK Cooperation Fund and carried out 33 cooperative projects in the seven priority areas (culture and tourism; human resources development; agriculture and rural development; infrastructure; information and communication technology; environment; and non-traditional security challenges).