ASEAN-Korea Centre Secretary-General Kim Jae-shin, fourth from right, poses with key participants during the ASEAN-Korea Trade and Investment Roundtable 2024 in Seoul, May 8. Courtesy of ASEAN-Korea Centre

The ASEAN-Korea Centre and the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP) co-organized the ASEAN-Korea Trade and Investment Roundtable 2024, Wednesday, to better grasp business opportunities between the two sides.

This event, held under the theme of "ASEAN-Korea Cooperation for Next Decade to Come," was conducted in a hybrid format and livestreamed through the ASEAN-Korea Centre's YouTube channel.

Having marked its fourth anniversary this year, the roundtable provided a platform for discussing substantive cooperation measures on key issues surrounding Korea and ASEAN over the past three years, including the Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative (KASI), ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA).

During this year's roundtable, directions for strengthening cooperation between the two regions in supply chain management and digitalization were explored, with a focus on the ongoing negotiations on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), announced last September.

"Given the rapidly evolving global trade landscape, particularly exacerbated by the deepening trend of protectionism, I believed it was 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," Secretary-General Kim Jae-shin of the ASEAN-Korea Centre said.

Notable dignitaries including Myanmar Ambassador to Korea Thant Sin, who chairs the ASEAN Committee in Seoul, and Korean Ambassador to ASEAN Lee Jang-keun offered their congratulatory remarks.

Deputy Secretary-General Satvinder Singh for the ASEAN Economic Community at the ASEAN Secretariat, alongside Federation of Korean Industries Vice Chairman Kim Chang-beom, delivered keynote speeches, providing insights into the global economic outlook from the perspectives of ASEAN and Korea.

"Through the roundtable, I hoped we could explore new opportunities for cooperation and contribute to strengthening the partnership between Korea and ASEAN," Kim said.