Kuala lumpur: Asia-Pacific's largest security forum has commenced in Malaysia, gathering top diplomats against the backdrop of significant tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meetings, with participation from South Korea, the United States, Japan, China, and Russia, are set to address regional diplomacy and peace, though the U.S. tariffs are anticipated to dominate discussions.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the forum is an opportunity for South Korea to emphasize its diplomatic commitment to ASEAN under President Lee Jae Myung's administration. The recent extension of Trump's tariff deadline and the introduction of a 25 percent reciprocal tariff on South Korea have added a layer of complexity to the dialogues.
First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo is representing South Korea at the South Korea-ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting, focusing on collaboration in digital transformation and the green transition. South Korea and ASEAN are poised to adopt five-year action plans to implement agreed initiatives.
Park will also participate in the ASEAN Plus Three meeting with Japan and China to explore economic and regional cooperation. Bilateral discussions with Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore are on the agenda, alongside pending meetings with other nations.
On Friday, Park will attend the East Asia Summit, which includes ASEAN members and regional powers such as China, Japan, the U.S., and Russia. He is scheduled to engage with the five Mekong countries -- Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the region's sole multilateral security platform, will conclude the series of meetings. This year, North Korea is expected to skip the forum for the first time since joining in 2000, with diplomatic relations severed by Malaysia following the 2017 assassination of Kim Jong-nam.
North Korea has been represented at the ARF by its ASEAN-based ambassador since the breakdown of nuclear talks with the U.S. in 2019. Park is attending in place of South Korea's foreign minister, whose appointment awaits parliamentary approval.