ASEAN-Korea Trade and Investment Roundtable 2024 to strengthen economic ties, cooperation

SEOUL, 7 May 2024 - Tomorrow, the ASEAN-Korea Centre (AKC) and the KIEP will co-organise the 'ASEAN-Korea Trade and Investment Roundtable 2024' under the theme of "ASEAN-Korea Cooperation for Next Decade to Come." The roundtable will take place in a hybrid format and be live-streamed through the ASEAN-Korea Centre's YouTube channel (http://www.youtube.com/akcsns) starting at 14:00 (KST).

Marking its fourth anniversary this year, the annual roundtable has provided a platform for discussing substantive cooperation measures on key issues surrounding Korea and ASEAN, including the Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative, ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA). This year's roundtable will explore directions on strengthening cooperation between the two regions in supply chain management and digitalisation, focusing on the ongoing negotiations on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), announced last September.

Secretary General of AKC Kim Jae-shin will deliver his opening remarks, succeeded by a welcome address from President Lee Siwook of KIEP. Following these remarks, Thant Sin, Myanmar Ambassador to the Republic of Korea (ROK) & Chair of ASEAN Committee in Seoul, and Lee Jang-keun, ROK Ambassador to ASEAN, will present their congratulatory remarks.

Deputy Secretary-General Satvinder Singh for the ASEAN Economic Community, alongside Kim Chang-beom, Vice Chairman and CEO of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, will deliver keynote addresses, providing insights into the global economic outlook from the perspectives of ASEAN and Korea.

Session 1 will convene a panel discussion with professors from leading universities in ASEAN Member States, as well as experts from the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade and KIEP, focusing on cooperation in the 'Global Value Chain'.

Subsequently, Session 2 will explore the theme of Digitalisation, featuring a panel of experts from the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia, Universitas Gadjah Mada in Indonesia, and the Asiatic Research Institute at Korea University. The discussion will encompass topics including DEFA, Digital Economy, Digital Divide, and other pertinent issues.

Secretary General Kim Jae-shin noted that, "As ASEAN and Korea are actively engaging in discussions aimed at enhancing the AKFTA better yet in celebration of the 35^th anniversary of the ASEAN-Korea dialogue relations, the theme for this year's Roundtable is notably timely and significant."

He also added that, "Given the rapidly evolving global trade landscape, particularly exacerbated by the deepening trend of protectionism, I believe it is imperative for Korea and ASEAN to further strengthen cooperation and engage in discussions regarding substantive strategic planning based on the external strategies of both regions. Through the Roundtable, I hope we can explore new opportunities for cooperation and contribute to strengthening the partnership between Korea and ASEAN."

Program Inquiries: Hyemin Kang, Officer, TIU (+82-2-2287-1192, [email protected])

Press Inquiries: Yeonjoo Lee, Officer, IDU (02-2287-1171, [email protected])

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