With the inaugural Korea-Mekong Summit between Korea and the five countries along the Mekong River – Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam – and the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)-ROK (Republic of Korea) Commemorative Summit from Nov. 25-27 in Busan, Korea.net explores the results of President Moon Jae-in's visits to all 10 ASEAN member countries since his inauguration, Korea's exchanges with these nations and the potential for economic cooperation.

By Min Yea-Ji and Lee Jihae
Photos = Cheong Wa Dae

Korea and Indonesia's Oct. 16 signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) is considered the first result of Seoul's New Southern Policy.

Bilateral negotiations on CEPA began in March 2012. Seven rounds of talks were held between March 2012 and February of 2014 but achieved no progress.

Indonesia was the first member state of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that President Moon Jae-in visited. His trip came in November 2017 and Indonesian President Joko Widodo made a reciprocal visit to Korea last year in September.

The visits of the two leaders spurred their two governments to declare a resumption of CEPA negotiations. The eighth round of such talks was held in April, the first in five years.



During his visit to Indonesia in November 2017, President Moon announced a "joint vision proclamation" for the mutual prosperity and peace of both nations. The proclamation said the two sides agreed to elevate their "strategic partnership" to a "special strategic partnership," with Indonesia being the lone ASEAN member state to have such a relationship with Korea.

In June, both presidents held talks during the G-20 summit in Tokyo. They agreed that the advanced technology and expertise of Korean companies made them optimal partners for Indonesia's infrastructure projects such as light-rail transit.

In the same month, Korea Rail Network Authority received an award from the Indonesian government contractor JakPro for completing the first phase of Jakarta's light-rail transit project.

With the world's fourth-largest population and ASEAN's biggest economy, Indonesia boasts an economy and a population that comprise 40% of those of all 10 ASEAN member states. It is also the only ASEAN nation to be members of the G-20 and MIKTA, an informal partnership comprising Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey and Australia.

On the sidelines of the ASEAN-Korea special summit in Busan, Seoul and Jakarta on Nov. 25 will also hold a bilateral summit.

jesimin@korea.kr