The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    BLACKPINK Jennie's 'Solo' music video hits record high 900 mil. YouTube views

  • 3

    Japanese students' field trips to Korea resume after pandemic hiatus

  • 5

    Lotte desperate to win LVMH Chairman Arnault's heart

  • 7

    President Yoon refutes criticism of fence-mending summit with Japan

  • 9

    Apple Pay service starts in Korea

  • 11

    Kwon Sang-woo's new series to stream on Disney+ this year

  • 13

    LVMH allegedly joins takeover bid to acquire Missha

  • 15

    Busan to have alternate no-driving days during Expo inspection

  • 17

    Consumers choose to travel abroad over purchasing luxury goods

  • 19

    Osstem Implant to invite 1,500 dentists from 22 countries for training

  • 2

    Lee Se-young to lead MBC's new series 'The Story of Park's Marriage Contract'

  • 4

    Possibly next SOHO, Seoul selects 5 neighborhoods for new signature 'K-alleys'

  • 6

    Kakao criticized for half-baked AI chatbot

  • 8

    INTERVIEW'The Flag': Kwon Jin-ah's love letter to people chasing their dreams

  • 10

    Revenge rises as key theme in K-dramas

  • 12

    US report voices concerns over S. Korea's press freedom

  • 14

    Korean firms balk at donating to fund compensating victims of Japan's forced labor

  • 16

    Sexual assaults by Korean diplomats continue despite zero-tolerance policy

  • 18

    Shinhan, Woori shine in overseas business

  • 20

    Korean startup Innospace announces successful test launch of space vehicle HANBIT-TLV

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
Thu, March 23, 2023 | 14:06
Columns
Rethink strategies for ASEAN
Posted : 2019-11-06 17:26
Updated : 2020-01-08 00:01
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link

By Kim Jae-kyoung

The Korea-ASEAN commemorative summit is just three weeks away.

President Moon Jae-in and his administration must be busy preparing for the summit, which Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha says will set a diplomatic milestone with the 10-member economic bloc in Southeast Asia.

This will be a crucial opportunity for Korea to upgrade its links with ASEAN as the gathering, scheduled to be held from Nov. 25-27 in Busan, is designed to mark the 30th anniversary of bilateral ties.

Over the past three decades, Korea has been strengthening its foothold in the region in economic and cultural terms. Now is the time for the country to rethink its ASEAN strategies to further solidify its footprint there.

Both the Korean government and businesses might want to focus on stealing the hearts of the 10 member states' leaders to win new opportunities in rapidly growing markets during the historic summit.

For the successful hosting of the summit and further development of bilateral cooperation, however, Moon and his staff should keep in mind a few things before treating guests from Southeast Asia.

Data shows that there has been significant progress toward integration among ASEAN member states in terms of several items where tariff barriers have been removed. However, there is still a lot of work to be done in the harmonization of standards and so on. Big nations such as Indonesia are showing a worrying trend of following China and India in seeking to extend domestic supply chains. This cuts into integration. In this regard, a specific strategy for each nation is required.

Besides, Korea needs more political and academic involvement in ASEAN. It has been steadily gaining in image in the region. It has tremendous soft power as its pop culture has been immensely popular. But despite significant growth in economic and cultural visibility, Korea lags behind China and Japan significantly in mind share and involvement in ASEAN.

There is a sense that Korea is more transactional than China and Japan. For example, Japan has given maritime patrol craft to Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia. China has supplied radar to Indonesia and has been doing deals across the region. Korea is hardly seen in this kind of picture.

Against this backdrop, Korea needs new approaches to build a more solid relationship with ASEAN and its 10 member countries ― Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

First, Korea should capitalize on its soft power and unique advantages that Japan and especially China do not have. Korea should make more efforts to make ASEAN people feel we take them seriously. We should consider ASEAN as a friend and strategic partner, not just an export destination or cheap production base. Otherwise, the relationship and cooperation won't be sustainable.

Second, Korea must adopt a two-pronged ASEAN strategy. While pursuing an ASEAN-wide approach, we need to pull out all stops to build stronger bilateral ties with each country. The Moon administration should develop strategies tailored to each market because the ASEAN member countries are all different in economics, politics and culture.

To this end, following the summit, Moon should encourage his policymakers and politicians to visit ASEAN countries more often to beef up bilateral exchanges and improve political presence in the region.

Finally, the country should ensure a two-way cultural exchange between Korea and ASEAN to prevent ASEAN countries feeling the threat from the rapid penetration of Korean pop culture and goods. There also should be more efforts to help Koreans deepen their understanding of ASEAN by having Koreans become more interested in ASEAN cultures.

The popularity of Korean dramas and music in Japan, the beginning of the hallyu globalization, is now losing steam. This suggests that popularity in ASEAN can also die down anytime. Now is time to reset ASEAN strategies.

The writer is finance editor of The Korea Times. He previously served as Asia bureau chief and Singapore correspondent covering the entire ASEAN region.



Emailkjk@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
LG Group
Top 10 Stories
1Korean firms balk at donating to fund compensating victims of Japan's forced laborKorean firms balk at donating to fund compensating victims of Japan's forced labor
2Sexual assaults by Korean diplomats continue despite zero-tolerance policy Sexual assaults by Korean diplomats continue despite zero-tolerance policy
3Consumers choose to travel abroad over purchasing luxury goods Consumers choose to travel abroad over purchasing luxury goods
4World water day World water day
5Main opposition leader indicted, faces calls to resign Main opposition leader indicted, faces calls to resign
6Outback Steakhouse sees sales soar as it opens stores in large shopping malls Outback Steakhouse sees sales soar as it opens stores in large shopping malls
7Samsung, SK avoid worst-case scenario as US 'guardrails' are less stringent than feared Samsung, SK avoid worst-case scenario as US 'guardrails' are less stringent than feared
8Korean pension fund hit by overseas banking crisis Korean pension fund hit by overseas banking crisis
9[INTERVIEW] Retired FSC chief finds inspiration exploring Koreans' ancestral roots INTERVIEWRetired FSC chief finds inspiration exploring Koreans' ancestral roots
10Campaign launched to promote equal treatment for multicultural families Campaign launched to promote equal treatment for multicultural families
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Lee Se-young to lead MBC's new series 'The Story of Park's Marriage Contract' Lee Se-young to lead MBC's new series 'The Story of Park's Marriage Contract'
2[INTERVIEW] 'The Flag': Kwon Jin-ah's love letter to people chasing their dreams INTERVIEW'The Flag': Kwon Jin-ah's love letter to people chasing their dreams
3Revenge rises as key theme in K-dramas Revenge rises as key theme in K-dramas
4Kwon Sang-woo's new series to stream on Disney+ this year Kwon Sang-woo's new series to stream on Disney+ this year
5From sky to deserted islands, two artists' documentation of nature adds surreal touch to reality From sky to deserted islands, two artists' documentation of nature adds surreal touch to reality
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group