1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held the “2nd ASEAN-ROK Think Tank Strategic Dialogue” with experts from leading foreign and security affairs think tanks of ten ASEAN member countries under the theme “ASEAN-ROK Relations into a New Decade: Towards a Joint Strategic Vision” on October 6.

o The meeting, which was held in a blended online format connecting the meeting rooms in Seoul and Hanoi due to the COVID-19 situation, was attended by Chancellor of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA) Kim Joon-hyung, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on New Southern Policy Park Bokyeong, Ambassador for Public Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Chang Jae-bok, Director-General for ASEAN and Southeast Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Park Jae-kyung, acting President of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV) Nguyen Hung Son, and experts from ten thinks tanks of the ASEAN Institutes of Strategic and International Studies (ASEAN-ISIS).

2. In the meeting, experts from foreign and security affairs think tanks of the Republic of Korea and ASEAN countries made presentations and had discussions on assessments and prospects for the regional strategic landscape in the post-COVID-19 era; the way forward for upgrading the ROK government’s New Southern Policy; and ways to increase cooperation between the ROK and ASEAN.

o In his opening remarks, KNDA Chancellor Kim Joon-hyung stressed the importance of the ROK-ASEAN cooperation amid the spread of COVID-19 and growing strategic competition between the United States and China.

o Chairman of the Presidential Committee on New Southern Policy Park Bokyeong explained that the ROK government is preparing to upgrade its New Southern Policy with a focus on enhancing mutual trust by strengthening people-centered cooperation, establishing resilient regional supply chains, and promoting cooperation related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He stressed the importance of devising a long-term cooperation plan as well as overcoming the current challenges.

o Ambassador for Public Diplomacy Chang Jae-bok noted that COVID-19 drew more attention to the significance of public diplomacy in enhancing mutual understanding and trust, and hoped that the dialogue would be established as an institutionalized platform that strengthens the ROK-ASEAN cooperation.

3. Think tank experts who took part in the meeting assessed that amid growing uncertainty in the global strategic landscape due to COVID-19, the need and opportunities for increasing regional cooperation between the ROK and ASEAN have grown, and raised the need to seek more strategic and visionary partnerships, including by upgrading the New Southern Policy.

o In Session 1 held in a real time online format, participants analyzed opportunities and challenges in the ROK-ASEAN cooperation in the strategic environment where middle power countries’ status is weakening and the situation where COVID-19 is spreading, and underlined the need to explore ways to step up mutually-beneficial cooperation mainly in the health and infrastructure sectors.

o In Session 2 held in private, participants exchanged views on ways to upgrade the New Southern Policy in strategic and future-oriented ways as well as ways to expand cooperation between the ROK and ASEAN.

4. The 2nd ASEAN-ROK Think Tank Strategic Dialogue is seen to have served as an opportunity to solidify the institutional foundation for increasing mutual understanding and trust even amid difficulty in holding a face-to-face meeting due to COVID-19. In addition, the dialogue co-organized with ASEAN-ISIS (ASEAN Institutes of Strategic and International Studies) network is expected to help secure more interests and cooperation from ASEAN countries regarding ways to upgrade the New Southern Policy.

5. The Foreign Ministry will post a video containing the main content of the event on the YouTube channel of the Public Diplomacy and Cultural Affairs Bureau, “Korea Public Diplomacy (KOREAZ).”