ASEAN Week boosts trade, cultural exchanges amid pandemic

Secretary General of the ASEAN-Korea Centre Kim Hae-yong delivers congratulatory remarks during the opening ceremony of ASEAN Week 2021 and Korea-ASEAN & India Business Week 2021 at the COEX in southern Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of ASEAN-Korea Centre

By Kwon Mee-yoo

• Published Oct 8, 2021 8:42 AM KST
• Updated Oct 28, 2021 9:17 AM KST

By Kwon Mee-yoo

The ASEAN-Korea Centre (AKC) hosted an event marking ASEAN Week 2021 at the COEX, Tuesday and Wednesday, to boost exchange and cooperation between ASEAN countries and Korea in a post-COVID-19 world.

Launched in 2019, the flagship event of the AKC aims to raise awareness about ASEAN countries. This year's ASEAN Week was held in conjunction with the Korea-ASEAN & India Business Week 2021, hosted by the Presidential Committee on New Southern Policy, to supplement each other by offering programs in diverse fields from trade and investment to culture and young people. Due to the pandemic, this year's event was held in a hybrid format to reach a wider audience.

Chring Botum Rangsay, the new Cambodian ambassador to Korea who was appointed in September, had high expectations for her very first big event after arriving here.

"This is one of the biggest events I have attended as the ambassador of Cambodia and I'm still very new to Korea," she told The Korea Times, Tuesday.

Chring mentioned that Cambodia and Korea will sign a free trade agreement (FTA) later this month and showed hopes for reaching out to the Korean public through the ASEAN Week event.

"This will open up more opportunities between the two countries, especially in terms of trade. After the signing, we will work harder to promote Cambodian products in Korea and trade between the two countries," she said.

"Events like this give us an opportunity to reach out not just to business, but also to consumers. We are going to have a presentation about investment opportunities in Cambodia, which consists of young capable workers, and the procedure of how a company can get in contact with the government and more."

Journey of rice

This year's centerpiece of the ASEAN Week is "Rice, the Universe in a Grain,” a photo and lifestyle exhibition on rice, a staple food among the 10 ASEAN countries ― Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The ASEAN emblem symbolizes 10 bound stalks of rice, representing the 10 member states and their co-prosperity as well as the significance of rice in the ASEAN region as a crop embodying their values.

The exhibit sheds light on rice from farm to table with real rice plants adorning the space. Photos show people from the ASEAN nations cultivating rice on flatlands as well as rice terraces on sloped areas, overcoming geological constraints.

Rice also accounts for an important part of the culture in ASEAN. Malaysia's Sabah region holds the annual Kaamatan Festival in May, while people in northeastern Thailand hold the Rocket Festival, or Bun Bang Fai, to wish for a good harvest by launching bamboo rockets. The Sundanese in Indonesia have the tradition of Seren Taun, a festival expressing gratitude for a bountiful rice harvest.

Rice is a key element of the culinary culture of ASEAN, enjoyed in various forms from steamed rice to rice noodles and rice paper. Recently, rice is becoming a popular ingredient for snacks, confectionary and beverages, reflecting changes in dietary trends.

More rice-related products are featured at the ASEAN & Indian Pavilion section as the embassies and trade organizations from the ASEAN member states gathered to promote their products to Korea.

Norharliza Mohamad Yunos, trade commissioner of the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation, introduced a wide range of Malaysian products which could potentially succeed in the Korean market.

"We are working actively with our Korean partners to understand what the Korean market wants. We are very strong in confectionery. A lot of Malaysian confectionery products are sold at major Korean supermarkets and there are OEM companies too. We are more than happy to assist in terms of connecting Korean and Malaysian parties," Norharliza said.

The Thailand booth focused on eco-friendly products reflecting growing awareness on sustainability.

"There are many Thai products produced in environment-friendly ways such as with recycled materials. We can provide lifestyle products suitable for the Korean people with great design and quality at a reasonable price," Chananya Punnarugsa, commercial minister counselor at the Thai Embassy in Seoul, said.

Encouraging ASEAN young people

The AKC also held the ASEAN Youth Career Mentorship Seminar, Tuesday, providing career development advices for young ASEAN people who want to find a job in Korea. The seminar was livestreamed on the center's YouTube channel to reach a wider audience amid the pandemic.

"Over the years, an increasing number of ASEAN students have come to Korea to further their studies. After graduation, many of these students move on to pursue their careers in Korea. While they may face challenges along the way, their ability and potential as liaisons are a great contribution to strengthening ASEAN-Korea partnership," Secretary General Kim said.

Kim shared some success stories of young people from the ASEAN member states, including Lisa of Blackpink, who is from Thailand.

"She joined one of the major entertainment agencies in Korea with the dream of becoming a K-pop artist. This girl is now one of the top K-pop singers, popular not only in Korea and Thailand but also across the globe," he said.

Five mentors who found employment in Korea gave advice on working here as they have the advantage of bridging the regions.