President Lee Jae Myung unveiled a new vision to strengthen South Korea's Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN at the summit in Kuala Lumpur on October 27. He emphasized stepped-up cooperation against transnational crimes and shared his peace initiative for the Korean Peninsula. This marked his first attendance at the annual gathering since taking office in June.
President Lee Jae Myung presented South Korea's 'CSP vision' at the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur on October 27. According to National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac, it positions Korea as a 'contributor' to support youth in Southeast Asia, a 'springboard' for growth and innovation, and a 'partner' for peace and stability, building on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership forged last year. He proposed hosting a special Korea-ASEAN summit in 2029 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
During the summit, Lee stressed cooperation against transnational crimes, particularly online scams. Referencing the torture and death of a Korean college student lured to a scam center in Cambodia, he stated, 'Organized criminal rings, such as scam centers, have been spreading across border areas where the rule of law is weak, and unfortunately many young people are becoming victims of transnational crime.' The Korean National Police Agency will collaborate with ASEANAPOL to eradicate these hubs. Under the vision, reciprocal visits aim to reach 15 million annually, bilateral trade $300 billion, with enhanced roles in maritime security and disaster relief.
Lee shared his 'END' initiative—exchange, normalization, denuclearization—to ease Korean Peninsula tensions and seek ASEAN support, first unveiled at the UN General Assembly last month.
On the sidelines, he held his first summit with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. Hun offered condolences for the student's death, calling it 'a tragic incident,' and emphasized, 'This is not an issue that a single country can resolve... regional countries must work together.' Lee expressed gratitude for Cambodia's efforts, noting public sensitivity in Korea. They discussed expanding exchanges, with Lee pledging Korea as a development model for Cambodia amid reports of thousands of Koreans trafficked to scam compounds.
Lee also met Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to bolster ties. He then attended the ASEAN Plus Three summit with Japan and China to advance regional cooperation. Upon arriving in Kuala Lumpur on October 26, Lee met the Korean community, vowing institutional reforms for overseas citizens' rights.