Pres. Lee Jae-myung's ASEAN pivot: Diplomacy, strategy, and high-stakes summits

Title: Pres. Lee Jae-myung's ASEAN pivot: Diplomacy, strategy, and high-stakes summits

Welcome to Within The Frame, where we bring the most pressing issues across the globe into focus. I'm Kim Mok-yeon.

The ASEAN turns 58 this week, but the region is no longer just a ceremonial partner in Korean diplomacy.

It’s now a frontline player in the shifting power dynamics of the Indo-Pacific.

As U.S.-China tensions deepen, the ASEAN is pushing to assert its strategic autonomy, and South Korea is moving fast to align with that goal.

Under President Lee Jae Myung, Seoul is signaling a pivot: from idealistic slogans to hard-nosed, pragmatic engagement.

With high-level envoy visits, renewed policy frameworks, and back-to-back summits with key leaders, South Korea’s ASEAN strategy is being put to the test — and the stakes have never been higher.

For a deeper discussion on this, we connect to Professor Park Jang-sik, Director of The Institute of ASEAN Studies at Dong-A University. Welcome.

Also joining us is James Chin, Professor of Asian Studies at University of Tasmania. Good to see you.

1. To start, so today ASEAN now marks its 58th anniversary. Prof. Park, could you explain for us the strategic and economic importance of the ASEAN for South Korea’s diplomacy? And how do you see its status evolving recently?

2. Building on that, the ASEAN has long pursued “strategic autonomy” by maintaining a balanced approach without leaning toward any one major power.

Amid intensifying U.S.-China tensions, what is the importance of cooperation with South Korea in helping the ASEAN secure its strategic autonomy?

3. Looking ahead, the Lee Jae Myung administration is expected to upgrade the former Moon Jae-in administration’s New Southern Policy in a more pragmatic direction.

In that case, what should be the top priorities for improvement or reinforcement in Lee’s ASEAN policy?

4. Turning to recent diplomacy, South Korea has been dispatching presidential envoys to the ASEAN region. Most recently, on July 23rd, President Lee’s envoy made an official visit to Malaysia, which was the first special envoy sent to an ASEAN country since Lee took office.

What diplomatic message do you think was conveyed by choosing Malaysia as the first destination?

5. Following the envoy’s visit to Vietnam on July 29th, Vietnam’s top-ranking official, To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party, is scheduled to visit South Korea on August 10th.

What diplomatic symbolism and strategic significance does To Lam’s visit to Korea hold?

6. As part of the visit, President Lee Jae Myung and General Secretary To Lam are scheduled to hold a summit on August 11th. What key agenda items do you foresee for this meeting?

7. So as U.S.-China rivalry intensifies, Vietnam continues to pursue balanced diplomacy. In this context, what diplomatic impact could stronger cooperation between South Korea and Vietnam bring?

8. Expanding on the scope of cooperation, collaboration with ASEAN countries—including Malaysia and Vietnam—is now reaching into various fields such as technology, supply chains, climate, finance, and culture. Among these, which core area should the Lee administration focus on strategically?

9. To strengthen South Korea’s presence, there are growing calls to enhance cultural, educational, and people-to-people exchanges across the ASEAN. What kinds of policy mechanisms or agreements should be prioritized?

10. Finally, looking ahead to October, the upcoming "ASEAN+3 Summit" to be held in Malaysia is expected to be the first major test of the Lee Jae Myung administration’s ASEAN diplomacy. What messages and strategies are needed?

Thank you for your time and for your insights tonight Prof. PARK and Prof.Chin, we appreciate it.

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