Leaders of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in ASEAN countries discussed how to strengthen the strategic business partnership between the two regions at a meeting held online Tuesday.

The Association of ASEAN Korean Chambers took place at the Four Seasons Hotel in central Seoul, joined by government officials and businesspeople.

At the meeting, Ahn Byung-hwa, deputy chief of the Presidential Committee on New Southern Policy, introduced seven major tasks, such as comprehensive collaboration in health care and support for rural infrastructure.

“This year marks the 10th anniversary of the strategic partnership between Korea and ASEAN. We are trying to upgrade the New Southern Policy initiative,” Ahn said.

President Moon Jae-in first revealed the New Southern Policy during his trip to Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines, in November 2017.

The government established the Presidential Committee on New Southern Policy in August 2018 to push for the New Southern Policy that President Moon Jae-in first revealed during his trip to Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines, in November 2017.

Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade’s Shin Yoon-sung stressed the significance of multilateral free trade pacts such as RCEP and CPTPP.

“The focus of RCEP and CPTPP is ASEAN countries. Vietnam, Indonesia, and Myanmar will emerge as new production platforms thanks to their competitiveness in wage, logistics, and power supply,” said Shin who leads the New Southern Policy division at the institute.

Shin added that Korean companies need to strengthen their brand power in Southeast Asian countries based on the Korean Wave and Korea’s successful fight against COVID-19.

Kang Ho-min, who takes charge of KCCI’s global businesses, said he hoped that the meeting could offer information and insights to Korean businesspeople so that they will be able to better deal with the post-COVID-19 era.

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)