ASEAN and RoK : More Than Just Alternative Partnership

Mar 31, 2024 | Commentaries

Vol. V / No. 2 | March 2024

Authors:
Wildan Faisol (Lecturer at the Department of International Relations, Universitas Al Azhar Indonesia)

Summary

The region of Southeast Asia and Korea is bound by historical ties of Japanese colonialism in the mid-20th century. Currently the two regions are again bound in more strategic aspects such as aspects of economic cooperation and defense technology through the multilateral cooperation framework of ASEAN and the Republic of Korea or bilaterally. involving each of the ASEAN member countries. In a political context, Southeast Asian countries are in the midst of a sovereignty dispute with China, establishing deeper relations with the Republic of Korea as a strategic partner is ideal. From an economic aspect, in the shadow of the threat of debt trap diplomacy practiced by China, building a strategic economic cooperation framework with the Republic of Korea is an ideal solution. According to the author, this collaboration should receive serious attention from policy makers because the Republic of Korea does not have hegemonic interests in the Southeast Asia region.

Keywords: ASEAN, Southeast Asia ,Korea, Defense, Economy

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KASI and Korea-Indonesia Middle Power Interests: Converging the Differences?

KASI and Korea-Indonesia Middle Power Interests: Converging the Differences?

Mar 30, 2024 | Commentaries

Vol. V / No. 1 | March 2024

Authors:
Resi Qurrata Aini (Associate Lecturer at the Department of International Relations, Universitas Indonesia)

Summary

After deferring its support for the US terminology of Free and Indo-Pacific Initiative (FOIP) during the past Moon Jae-in administration, Korea is getting bolder by launching its own conception of Indo-Pacific strategy in the current Yoon Suk-yeol rule.  Yoon first disclosed it at the ASEAN-Korea Summit on 11 November 2022. He complemented it by launching the Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative (KASI), reiterated a few days later at a side event of the G20 Meeting in Bali. This diplomatic gesture reflects the acknowledgment of ASEAN and Indonesia as prominent for Korea Indo-Pacific Strategy. As the facto key driver of ASEAN and the chairman of ASEAN in 2023, Indonesia’s response to Korea’s Indo-Pacific conception and KASI will significantly influence how ASEAN bring it on and determine the implementation of KASI. This commentary will discuss how Indonesia perceives KASI and whether it would be a pathway to elevate Indonesia-Korea middle power strategy in dealing with geopolitical turbulences in the region. They will be assessed from Indonesia’s development priorities, geopolitical dynamics, and Korea-Indonesia middle-power interests.

Keywords: KASI, Power Interest, FOIP, Indonesia-Korea, ASEAN.

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