[Square] New Southern Policy Plus, Beyond Korea-ASEAN Relations to East Asian Multilateralism

Ambassador Lim Sung-nam to ASEAN

Im Seong-nam, Ambassador to ASEAN

Every November is ASEAN Diplomacy Month. The New Southern Policy, which aims to elevate relations with ASEAN to the level of the four major powers, was declared three years ago in November in Jakarta. Last November, the Korea-ASEAN Special Summit was successfully held in Busan. Additionally, various ASEAN-related summits were held virtually for the first time ever last week due to COVID-19.

Despite COVID-19, our relationship with ASEAN has steadily progressed. In particular, during the implementation process following the ASEAN+3 Special Virtual Summit on COVID-19 response held last April, Korea proactively and preemptively strengthened ties and cooperation with ASEAN more than any other country. We shared the experience of K-quarantine to spread the 3T (Test, Trace, Treat) model, which is our COVID-19 response model, within ASEAN, and conducted a $5 million COVID-19 diagnostic capacity-building project targeting all ASEAN member countries. Furthermore, by being the first to contribute $1 million to the ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund, we encouraged participation from China, Japan, the United Kingdom, and others.

Especially, President Moon Jae-in announced the New Southern Policy Plus strategy at the 21st Korea-ASEAN Summit last week, which includes newer and more practical measures across seven key cooperation areas. ASEAN leaders, who had positively evaluated the sincerity of the New Southern Policy through the early fulfillment of President Moon’s promise to visit all ten ASEAN countries, unanimously welcomed and supported the New Southern Policy Plus.

Through the New Southern Policy Plus strategy, we will strengthen comprehensive healthcare cooperation with the post-COVID-19 situation in mind. We will also support human resource development by sharing our education model and promote two-way cultural exchanges utilizing Hallyu (the Korean Wave). To foster mutually beneficial and sustainable growth, we will build trade and investment foundations while expanding support for infrastructure development and cooperation in future industries. Additionally, cooperation in non-traditional security sectors, which had somewhat received less attention, will also be expanded. Along with the development of the Korea-Mekong cooperation framework, we clearly expressed our intention for maritime cooperation with ASEAN through the establishment of a Korea-Maritime Southeast Asia Cooperation Fund.

The New Southern Policy Plus strategy will also harmonize well with the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF) adopted by ASEAN last week. ASEAN views the COVID-19 situation as a new opportunity and aims to improve its economic structure in the process of overcoming it. The five strategic core areas presented by the ACRF?health systems, human security, maximizing ASEAN market potential and economic integration, digital innovation, and a sustainable and resilient future?are closely aligned with the seven key cooperation areas of the New Southern Policy Plus. ASEAN’s trust in the sincerity and sustainability of the New Southern Policy can be attributed to our efforts to understand ASEAN’s needs and reflect them in our policies.

Meanwhile, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world’s largest free trade zone concluded around the same time, is expected to create favorable conditions for implementing the New Southern Policy Plus strategy. The launch of RCEP, centered on ASEAN and including Korea, China, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, marks the birth of a massive market accounting for about 30% of the world’s population and trade. It is expected to stabilize regional supply chains and make a meaningful contribution to strengthening the economic cooperation foundation between Korea and ASEAN in the post-COVID-19 era.

While we need to observe future international developments more closely, the launch of RCEP can be likened to a signal heralding the recovery of multilateralism and free trade. President Moon also emphasized that he will always stand together and take the lead to ensure that RCEP becomes a community of mutual prosperity leading the post-pandemic era. We expect the New Southern Policy Plus to lay a new stepping stone for multilateralism at the East Asian regional level, beyond mutual prosperity with ASEAN.

Lim Sung-nam, Ambassador to ASEAN