제6차 한-아세안 포럼 요약 및 정책 제안

6th Korea-ASEAN Forum
2-3 December 2011
Singapore

1. The 6th Korea-ASEAN Forum was held in Singapore from 2-3 December 2011, bringing together participants from the policy, business and academic communities of ASEAN countries and the Republic of Korea (ROK). They discussed prospects and issues for Korea-ASEAN relations in the political, economic and socio-cultural spheres. The ASEAN Studies Centre at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS), Singapore and the Seoul National University Asia Centre co-organised the Forum with support from the Korea Foundation.

· Highlights of Forum Discussions

2. Forum discussions highlighted that ASEAN countries and ROK still needed to deepen their mutual understanding and awareness, despite many collaborative activities and exchanges since the establishment of ASEAN-ROK relations in 1989. For example, many are not aware that ASEAN is .ROK’s 2nd largest trading partner and ROK is ASEAN’s 5th largest trading partner and. Knowledge and awareness of each other are important in view of ASEAN’s growing central role in East Asian regional architecture and ROK’s emergence as a major player in regional security and economic issues.

3. Forum participants extensively discussed the challenges in implementing the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Area (AKFTA) agreement. The leaders of ASEAN and ROK had acknowledged the low rate of utilisation of the AKFTA. The business community was concerned about the continued existence of barriers to trade. Suggestions to overcome these obstacles included monitoring the implementation of tariff reduction schemes, and encouraging and supporting the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which comprise the bulk of businesses related to ASEAN-ROK cooperation. Additionally, ROK had to find a niche in competing with China and Japan for the ASEAN market. ROK should focus on HRD, information technology (IT) and SME development through its official development assistance (ODA) to ASEAN countries.

4. Industrial relations were also important in fostering economic growth. Learning from past experience of Korean companies in managing industrial relations with their ASEAN employees, ASEAN-ROK cooperation should consider projects that provide opportunities for promoting constructive industrial relations. These projects can enhance the existing ASEAN programme on industrial relations, in which ROK also participated. The projects should take into account the socio-cultural considerations of both ASEAN and ROK.

5. In the political and security area, ASEAN-ROK relations are affected by issues related to the Korean peninsula, the South China Sea, and the United States’ “return” to Southeast Asia. The challenge lies in distinguishing ASEAN’s collective position of neutrality in regional security issues from the individual interests of member states. In progressing their strategic partnership, which was proclaimed by the leaders of ASEAN and ROK in 2010, ASEAN and ROK need to find a common ground in balancing major power rivalries in the region.

6. A roundtable on 3 December 2011 discussed the future of ASEAN-ROK relations, touching on institutionalisation of the regional and sub-regional cooperation in East Asia, implications of the strategic competition between US and China, and ASEAN-Korea security cooperation. One way to promote mutual understanding would be for the ROK to brief ASEAN periodically on developments in North Korea.

7. ASEAN-ROK relations had a sound basis with cooperation in trade, tourism, investments, government-to-government dialogues, cultural exchanges, the establishment of an ASEAN Centre in Seoul, and engagement among the people. Promoting greater awareness of each other would involve strengthening Southeast Asian studies in ROK and Korean studies in Southeast Asia, strengthening the ASEAN Centre in Seoul, improving mutual perceptions at the workplace and among communities at large. The role of the ROK Ambassador to ASEAN was important in accomplishing this.

8. The ASEAN Studies Centre at ISEAS and the Seoul National University Asia Centre will publish the full proceedings of the Forum, including papers and views presented at the Forum, in 2012.