Page 57 - AEI Insights 2020 - Vol. 6, Issue 1

Rosland, 2020

ASEAN-ROK Relations

Historically, both ASEAN countries and Korea share the similar colonization period.
Disappointment of the local public due to foreign control of their lands led to nationalist
movement which eventually fructified in gaining independence from their foreign masters. The
transaction of these periods was a product of WWII and it continued to the end of Cold War,
Korean War and lastly the changing in the global system. Referring to Caballero & Anthony
(2005), the post-Cold War events showed the critical needs for political security framework
particularly in the Asia Pacific region that would assist the region in achieving peace and
prosperity in the region. The world system revolves around economic dimension where trading
as the primary basis on linkages between countries (Caballero & Anthony, 2005). Now the
“new regionalism” needs to be related to the changes in terms of politics, economy, and socio-
culture.
Since the establishment of the Dialogue Partnership in 1989, ASEAN-Korea relationship has
exhibited a remarkable integration and interdependence. For more than two decades, ASEAN
member states and ROK have witnessed a vast improvement of their relationship in many areas.
One of the most significant improvement was the establishment of an ASEAN-Korea Centre
in Seoul, which was made to foster economic and socio-cultural ties with ASEAN and its
member states. Furthermore, ASEAN has now established itself as Korea’s second largest
partner in the areas of trade, investment, and construction ((AKC), 2016) and became the top
travel destination for Koreans.

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Korea has emerged as the new middle-power that displays a stable and legitimate foreign
policy worldwide through multilateral and cooperative initiatives (Mo, 2016). Middle power
countries play a significant role in a wide range of important global issue areas and supports
liberal international order with its leadership diplomacy. ASEAN on the other hand showed a
tremendous growth in economics, politics, and social since its inception in 1967. ASEAN has
open up its door to globalization and became a platform to all major powers in the world to
cooperate in political, economic, and social. After the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997/98,
ASEAN have seen the importance of cooperation among member and non-members states.
ASEAN established organization such as ARF, AKFTA, EAC, APT, ASEAN + 6, APEC of
which ROK is one of the members and ROK even signed the TAC in 2004. ASEAN
cooperation has been both a goal and a process which are shared by its 10 members in order to
became a great nation and recognized world-wide.

Introduction to “New regionalism”
Referring to (Burfisher, Robinson , & Thierfelder 2004), regionalism comes in two waves; the
“first wave” or referred as “old regionalism” begins in the first twenty to thirty years after
WWII; according to (Söderbaum, 2003) it emerged in late 1940s in Western Europe and spread
to regions in the South which later died in late 1960s and early 1970s. This period was
primarily seen as a process of economic integration and security alliances, for example SEATO
(Southeast Asia Treaty Organization) with its main purpose was for collective defence against
communist. Old regionalism has been defined as a ‘theory of co-operative hegemony’ and ‘a
planned merger of national economies through cooperation’ with the State as the primary

31 In international relations, a middle power is a sovereign state that is not a superpower nor a great power, but
still has large or moderate influence and international recognition. Another definition, by the Middle Power
Initiative: "Middle power countries are politically and economically significant, internationally respected
countries that have renounced the nuclear arms race, a standing that give them significant international
credibility."

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