Overview of ASEAN-Korea Relations

2024.10.

  • Joint Statement on the Elevation to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between ASEAN and the ROK adopted

2023.9.

  • 24th ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit (Jakarta, Indonesia)

2022.11.

  • Announcement of Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative (KASI)

2022.9.

  • Opening of the Jeju ASEAN Hall

2019.11.

  • 3rd ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit and 1st Mekong-ROK Summit (Busan)

2020.11.

  • Conclusion of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)

2021

  • Mekong-ROK Exchange Year

2017

  • Announcement of ROK’s New Southern Policy
  • Opening of the ASEAN Culture House (Busan)

2014.12.

  • 2nd ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit (Busan)

2012.9.

  • Establishment of the ROK Mission to ASEAN

2009.3.

  • Inauguration of the ASEAN-Korea Centre

2009.6.

  • 1st ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit (Jeju)
  • Conclusion of ASEAN-ROK Investment Agreement

2010.10.

  • Joint Declaration on ASEAN-ROK Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity

2007.11.

  • Conclusion of ASEAN-Korea Trade in Services Agreement

2006.8.

  • Conclusion of ASEAN-Korea Trade in Goods Agreement

2004.11.

  • Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Cooperation Partnership between ASEAN and the ROK

1989.11.

  • Establishment of Sectoral Dialogue Partnership

1991.7.

  • Establishment of Full Dialogue Partnership

1997.12.

  • 1st ASEAN+3 Summit and 1st ASEAN-ROK Summit
  • Korea has diplomatic relations with all 10 ASEAN Member States ※ North Korea also has diplomatic relations with 10 AMS
  • ASEAN and Korea enjoy active high-level exchanges through bilateral visits and multilateral meetings at summit and ministerial levels.
  • Trade: USD 187.2 billion (export USD 109 billion, import USD 78 billion)
    * ASEAN is Korea's second largest trading partner
  • Investment: USD 7.45 billion
    * ASEAN is Korea's third largest investment destination
  • Construction: USD 0.28 billion
    * ASEAN is Korea's second largest construction market
  • People-to-people exchanges: 10.31 million reciprocal visits in 2023
    - Korea -> ASEAN: 8.2 million
    - ASEAN -> Korea: 2.12 million
  • Sources: Trade (Korea International Trade Association), Investment (Export-Import Bank of Korea), Construction (International Construction Association of Korea), Visitors (Korea Tourism Organization)
  • Since establishing dialogue partnership in 1989, ASEAN and Korea have maintained a close and comprehensive partnership. Today, the two have become key partners in various areas.
    - The Free Trade Agreements (Goods, Services, Investment) were completed between the two in 2009, and in 2010 the partnership was elevated to a strategic partnership. Today, the two regions enjoy a vibrant exchange of its peoples.
    * ASEAN is Korea’s second largest trading partner, the largest construction market, the second largest investment destination. For ASEAN, Korea is the region’s fifth largest trading partner. As such, the two regions have developed into indispensable economic partners to each other.
  • Korea opened the ASEAN Culture House on September 1, 2017 in Busan to promote ASEAN culture and art to the Korean public, which was the first such attempt among ASEAN’s dialogue partners.
  • In November 2017, Korea declared the New Southern Policy, giving priority to ASEAN relations in Korea’s foreign policy. On the same year, Korea announced the Vision for a Future Community of ASEAN and Korea.
  • In November 2019, Korea hosted the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of dialogue relations giving added momentum to the realization of the ASEAN-Korea Community of peace and prosperity centered on its peoples.
  • In November 2020, Korea declared the 'New Southern Policy Plus' strategy and implemented outcome projects under seven initiatives
  • In November 2022, Korea declared the Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative (KASI) and established a detailed implementation plan including eight priority tasks in April 2023
  • In September 2023, the ASEAN-ROK Joint Statement on ASEAN Perspectives on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) Cooperation was adopted.
  • In October 2024, the ASEAN-ROK Strategic Partnership was elevated to the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the ASEAN-ROK Dialogue
  • A total of USD 173 million have been contributed to the AKCF from 1990 to 2023.
    - The annual contribution has been increased from USD 7 million to 14 million. Additionally, a commitment has been made to further increase it to USD 32 million by 2027.
  • AKCF is used to fund projects agreed by ASEAN on Korea in areas of development, technology transfer, human resources development, culture and academic exchanges.
  • The ASEAN-Korea Program Management Team was established in Jakarta in December 2016 for the overall management of the AKCF and its programs.

ASEAN-Korea Dialogue Mechanisms

ASEAN-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

  • Since 1979 ASEAN held the Post Ministerial Conference with its 10 dialogue partners
  • The ASEAN-ROK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting is held every year during the PMC 10+1 session of the annual ASEAN Ministerial Meeting held around July~August.

ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM)-ROK Consultations

  • ASEAN and Korea agreed at the 7th ASEAN+3 Summit in October 2003 to hold the AEM-ROK Consultations on the sidelines of the annual ASEAN+3 Economic Ministers’ Meeting from 2004.
  • The agenda of the meeting cover economic issues ranging from ASEAN-Korea FTA and regional FTAs such as RCEP.

ASEAN-ROK Dialogue

  • High-level meetings on health with ASEAN since 2019 to discuss agreements and proposals for cooperation projects, including the establishment of the ASEAN-ROK Health Dialogue Channel, with the first meeting held in May 2022
  • Discussed ways for ASEAN and Korea to cooperate to ensure universal health coverage (UHC) and health security in the ASEAN region

ASEAN-ROK Dialogue

  • The ASEAN-ROK Dialogue is a SOM-level meeting held annually to review ASEAN-ROK cooperation in political-security, economic and socio-cultural areas and discuss ways to further enhance the partnership.
  • The SOM leaders also exchange views on regional issues including situation on the Korean Peninsula.

Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC)

  • Held in the first half of every year at the ASEAN Secretariat, the Joint Cooperation Committee discusses implementation of various ASEAN-Korea cooperation programs in areas ranging from security, economy, culture, environment and education
  • JCC Working Group : Working Group meetings are held in preparation for the JCC meetings and reviews the status of various programs and activities that are funded by the AKCF
  • Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea (https://www.mofa.go.kr), ASEAN Secretariat (https://www.asean.org)