Kuala Lumpur (VNA) - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh proposed three major directions for the promotion of the ASEAN-Republic of Korea (RoK) Comprehensive Strategic Partnership while addressing the 26th ASEAN-RoK Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on October 27.
Firstly, PM Chinh stressed the importance of strengthening economic, trade, and investment linkages towards a green, digital, circular, and sustainable direction; launching negotiations on the upgrade of the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA); and expanding cooperation into new areas such as the green economy, digital economy, artificial intelligence (AI), and supply chains.
He suggested the RoK increase technology transfer, assist in training high-quality human resources, connect technology businesses, and develop AI in renewable energy, smart infrastructure, and green agriculture. He also called for support for ASEAN businesses, particularly small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to join global supply chains, and to foster cooperation on sub-regional development, including the Mekong-RoK cooperation mechanism.
Secondly, he proposed deepening cultural, educational, and people-to-people exchanges, particularly in tourism, heritage economy, creative industries, and cultural industries such as film, music, and entertainment. Expanding talent training programmes and vocational education, and creating better opportunities for ASEAN citizens to study and work in the RoK should also be prioritised.
Thirdly, the PM highlighted that ASEAN and the Republic of Korea need to intensify their contributions to peace, security, stability, and prosperity in the region; and uphold their shared interests and responsibilities in building the East Sea into the waters of peace, cooperation, and sustainable development.
The Government leader also affirmed Vietnam’s backing for the efforts of the RoK Government to resume inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation and for the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, as well as its readiness to actively participate in this process to build a peaceful, stable, and prosperous environment on the Korean Peninsula. On this occasion, PM Chinh wished President Lee Jae Myung and the RoK success in the upcoming role as Chair of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in 2025.
At the summit, leaders said ASEAN–RoK relations have grown dynamically since being elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2024. The RoK is ASEAN’s fifth-largest trading partner and seventh-largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI), with two-way trade reaching 208.2 billion USD and FDI from the RoK totalling 7.6 billion USD in 2024.
Leaders commended RoK’s active participation in ASEAN’s cooperation mechanisms, with 95% of the 2021–2025 Plan of Action implemented. Projects such as the Korea-ASEAN Digital Academy and Korea–ASEAN Digital Innovation Flagship (KADIF) have strengthened the bloc’s digital capacity and nurtured regional talent.
Against a backdrop of rapid and complex regional and global changes, leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening ties, consolidating mutual trust and deepening cooperation for development and the shared interests of both regions. Accordingly, ASEAN and the RoK will now begin implementing their 2026–2030 Plan of Action and launch talks on the upgrade the AKFTA in 2026, adding new high-quality areas of collaboration such as the green economy, digital economy, and supply chain resilience.
Both sides also agreed to expand cooperation in strategic sectors including digital transformation, innovation, clean energy, critical minerals, sustainable environment, maritime security, cybersecurity, and combating transnational crime.
In his remarks, RoK President Lee Jae Myung reaffirmed the country’s strong support for ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), aligning the RoK’s future vision with ASEAN’s goal of building a resilient, innovative, and people-centred community.
The RoK will continue to assist ASEAN in implementing the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement, developing the ASEAN Power Grid, narrowing the development gap, and enhancing regional connectivity./.
