(c) Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Korea National Diplomatic Academy (KNDA) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it held the "8th ASEAN-ROK Think Tank Strategic Dialogue" under the theme of "Reconfiguring ASEAN-ROK Cooperation in an Era of Polycrisis" for two days from October 7 to 8 at the KNDA Hall on the 12th floor of the Diplomatic Center. This meeting was arranged for experts from both sides to brainstorm and derive practical policy alternatives and cooperation measures ahead of the ASEAN-ROK Summit to be held in Manila this coming November.

On the first day of the closed-door meeting (October 7), KNDA Chancellor Kim Heung-kyu delivered the welcoming remarks, and Kwon Jae-hwan, Director-General for ASEAN Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gave the keynote speech. Chancellor Kim pointed out key challenges such as energy supply chain instability caused by the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, transnational disasters, and deepening geopolitical competition in AI and semiconductor sectors, emphasizing that ASEAN-ROK cooperation should develop in a direction that brings practical benefits to regional residents. Following this, Director-General Kwon Jae-hwan presented a three-pillar vision for the mid-to-long-term development of the ASEAN-ROK "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP)"—namely, "a helper in achieving dreams and hopes," "a stepping stone for growth and innovation," and "a partner for peace and stability"—and urged the strengthening of implementation-oriented partnerships.

On the second day of the open meeting (October 8), Victor Andres C. Manhit, President of the Stratbase ADR Institute in the Philippines, delivered a keynote speech evaluating the strategic role of ASEAN, which boasts a population of 700 million and the world's 5th largest economy. President Manhit emphasized the need to diversify cooperation into science and technology including AI, the digital economy, renewable energy, and maritime cooperation, while particularly stressing the importance of strengthening ASEAN's maritime capabilities and information sharing.

In addition, 11 experts from major ASEAN countries, including Nguyen Vu Tung, Professor at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (former Vietnamese Ambassador to South Korea), and faculty members from the KNDA attended in large numbers to consolidate strategic trust in ASEAN-ROK relations within the changing regional security environment and deeply discuss ways to create practical outcomes in various fields such as AI, renewable energy, and disaster response.

Now marking its 8th year, this strategic dialogue is evaluated as an important occasion to review past achievements of the ASEAN-ROK "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP)" amid diversifying international situations and to present a future-oriented blueprint that turns risk factors into new opportunities for cooperation.

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