Why South Korea’s new ASEAN initiative may not survive the presidential election



Analysis Why South Korea’s new ASEAN initiative may not survive the presidential election Change in government and Trump tariff upheaval threaten to once again disrupt policy toward important regional bloc John LeeMay 14, 2025 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON ROK trade negotiator Jeong In-kyo attends the ASEAN-Korea Think Tank Dialogue, Dec. 17, 2024 \| Image: ROK Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy South Korea launched the ASEAN-Korea Think Tank Dialogue (AKTD) on Wednesday as part of a broader effort to institutionalize long-term policy cooperation with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states. However, the initiative faces immediate risks of political irrelevance following the snap presidential election on June 3, with a victory by frontrunner Lee Jae-myung likely to kill its political support. In addition to undermining outreach to important regional bloc, such a result would highlight Seoul’s persistent struggle to maintain continuity as policy whiplashes between administrations. PATTERN OF POLICY TURNOVER Successive South Korean administrations have repeatedly initiated new Southeast Asia © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. LATEST ANALYSIS 01Lee Jae Myung’s ‘pacemaker’ strategy tests South Korea’s leverage with Trump 02Trump’s Korea investment victory lap masks safeguards Seoul still controls 03North Korean POW dispute tests Seoul-Kyiv trust and future Ukraine policy 04South Korea’s CPTPP push exposes the cost of turning trade gains into consensus 05AI storage boom gives South Korea battery makers an EV overcapacity lifeline 06South Korea’s Mexico strategy runs into the hard limits of USMCA politics 07Preschool test ban forces South Korea’s English hagwons to rethink placement 08Lee Jae Myung’s Wall Street pitch tests South Korea’s capital market credibility

Analysis

Why South Korea’s new ASEAN initiative may not survive the presidential election

Change in government and Trump tariff upheaval threaten to once again disrupt policy toward important regional bloc

John LeeMay 14, 2025

Why South Korea’s new ASEAN initiative may not survive the presidential election

ROK trade negotiator Jeong In-kyo attends the ASEAN-Korea Think Tank Dialogue, Dec. 17, 2024 | Image: ROK Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

South Korea launched the ASEAN-Korea Think Tank Dialogue (AKTD) on Wednesday as part of a broader effort to institutionalize long-term policy cooperation with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states.

However, the initiative faces immediate risks of political irrelevance following the snap presidential election on June 3, with a victory by frontrunner Lee Jae-myung likely to kill its political support.

In addition to undermining outreach to important regional bloc, such a result would highlight Seoul’s persistent struggle to maintain continuity as policy whiplashes between administrations.

PATTERN OF POLICY TURNOVER

Successive South Korean administrations have repeatedly initiated new Southeast Asia

Why South Korea’s new ASEAN initiative may not survive the presidential election

LATEST ANALYSIS

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John Lee