Bisnis.comJAKARTA – President South Korea (South Korea) Yoon Suk-yeol announced the latest Indo-Pacific cooperation. So what is the impact of this policy on the countries ASEANespecially Indonesia?

Indo-Pacific cooperation was explained by South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol at the ASEAN summit in Cambodia last month. South Korea uses a freedom, peace and prosperity approach for the countries of Indo-Pacific region.

This policy can be said to be a substitute for the New South Policy (NSP) which was popularized by the former President of South Korea, Moon Jae-in.

Diplomat from the South Korean Embassy in Jakarta Choi Shin-hye said the cooperation was the last concrete step of the South Korean government towards countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

“In line with the Global Pivotal State Initiative, South Korea seeks to play a more active role in promoting freedom, peace and prosperity. [freedom, peaceful, and prosperous] in the Indo-Pacific region,” he said at the Indonesian Network of Next Generation Journalists’ Korea workshop initiated by the Indonesia Foreign Policy Community (FPCI) and Korea Foundation some time ago.

Choi Shin-hye further explained the points of freedom, peace and prosperity taken up by South Korea in the Indo-Pacific cooperation.

First, from the perspective of freedom, South Korea strives to promote fundamental values ​​such as freedom, democracy, the rule of law and human rights, thereby strengthening an international order based on rules.

According to him, South Korea is committed to promoting a harmonious regional order that respects common interests while pursuing common goals.

Secondly, he said that regarding the points of peace, South Korea will play an active role in preventing disputes and armed conflicts and promote the peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue.

“This includes efforts to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea, strengthen partnerships in the areas of non-proliferation and counterterrorism, and promote maritime security, cyber and health,” a- he explained.

Third, South Korea will support regional prosperity through an open and fair economic order. He stressed that South Korea will strengthen its supply chain resilience, expand networks for economic security, and promote a cooperative and inclusive economic and technological ecosystem.

He said that we are trying to broaden the contours of our cooperation with many countries in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. To support this goal, Korea is committed to building a multidimensional and comprehensive partnership network.

“We will also promote strategic partnerships tailored to each sub-region, including North America, Southeast Asia or ASEAN; South Asia, Oceania, Africa and Europe,” he explained.

9 Indo-Pacific Priority Agenda

Choi Shin-hye said there are 9 priority programs in Indo-Pacific cooperation. Here are the things to know.

1. Establish an order for the Indo-Pacific region based on common rules and standards;
2. Support human rights;
3. Increase non-proliferation and counter-terrorism efforts;
4. Strengthen global security cooperation;
5. Expand the economic security network;
6. Provide support for scientific and technological cooperation;
7. Support regional cooperation on climate change and energy security;
8. Support tailor-made development cooperation partnerships;
9. Facilitate mutual understanding and exchanges, especially between young people.

He said that each country in the Indo-Pacific region can adjust its needs to the 9 priority programs. For Indonesia, Choi Shin-hye said South Korea is ready to strengthen cooperation, especially in the maritime sector.

In addition to relations between the two governments (government to government/G-to-G), Indo-Pacific cooperation can also strengthen people-to-people ties.

“We actively facilitate people-to-people exchanges, especially among young people. Leveraging the shared appeal of vibrant K-Pop, South Korea pursues cooperative public diplomacy that enhances exchanges with diverse cultures across the world. ‘Indo-Pacific,’ he said.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol attending the ASEAN+3 summit in Cambodia. Yonhap Doc.

Indo-Pacific impact for RI and Asean

Counselor for Political Relations and International Organizations at the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul, Riza Hera Wardhana, said the Indo-Pacific cooperation announced by President Yoon Suk-Yeol is in fact almost similar to the NSP era. by Moon Jae-in.

However, he felt that one thing that distinguished the policies of the two South Korean presidents was in the range of countries that were targets of cooperation.

“The scope of Indo-Pacific cooperation is very broad compared to the NSP. We see that this policy does not only cover Asean, India, Australia and New Zealand. Even the United States and the ‘Europe also came in. I think this policy has been eagerly awaited by the international community,’ he said.

Reza also said South Korea’s latest Indo-Pacific cooperation has opened opportunities for cooperation with ASEAN, especially Indonesia. In addition, he said, next year will be the celebration of 50 years of bilateral relations between Indonesia and South Korea.

According to him, the cooperation between Indonesia and South Korea has the potential to run smoothly in the future as the two countries have no negative history.

However, many people wonder about the possibility of a conflict between the United States and its allies and China in the South China Sea. Regarding the tensions in the South China Sea, Reza said that Indonesia will continue to prioritize the policy of freedom and action that has been the basis of Indonesia’s international relations on the world stage since the founding. of this republic.

“President Jokowi has repeatedly emphasized a free and active attitude in the eyes of the world, one of which uses an approach of dialogue and peace. The G20 Presidency has proven that Indonesia is impartial and favors dialogue to find solutions to a problem,” he said. said.

In line with Reza, Choi Shin-hye said the South Korean government greatly appreciates the leadership of Indonesia which successfully led the G20 presidency some time ago. In fact, he said, South Korea believes Indonesia can lead the ASEAN presidency starting in 2023.

With the ratification of the latest Indo-Pacific cooperation, he said Indonesia and South Korea could strengthen their cooperation in various fields, including science, technology and maritime. Moreover, Indonesia paid great attention to digital transformation during the G20 summit in Bali.

“A close cooperation between Indonesia and South Korea, especially with regard to the Indo-Pacific, is highly anticipated. We hope that many opportunities will be created as the two countries will celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations in 2023. “, said Choi Shin-hye.

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