{"id":2201310,"date":"2023-06-07T19:19:52","date_gmt":"2023-06-07T10:19:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2201310"},"modified":"2023-06-08T18:50:46","modified_gmt":"2023-06-08T09:50:46","slug":"how-south-korea-uses-arms-sales-to-foster-strategic-relations-with-asean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2023\/06\/how-south-korea-uses-arms-sales-to-foster-strategic-relations-with-asean\/","title":{"rendered":"How South Korea uses arms sales to foster strategic relations with ASEAN"},"content":{"rendered":"
The Yoon Suk-yeol administration is leveraging arms sales as a key means of diplomacy under a broader <\/span>Indo-Pacific strategy<\/span><\/i><\/a>. The strategy encompasses also seeks to deepen strategic engagement with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states, but Seoul\u2019s approach could invite Chinese retaliation, which would likely be more substantial than the ones that its allies have faced so far.<\/span><\/p>\n ASEAN CENTRALITY<\/b><\/p>\n The ROK\u2019s goal is to enhance ties with ASEAN and its individual member states via arms sales in response to the changing security environment.<\/span><\/p>\n Recent collaborations have seen Hyundai Heavy Industries <\/span>producing<\/span><\/a> Jose Rizal-class frigates and constructing offshore patrol vessels for the Philippines. Concurrently, Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (now Hanwha Ocean) has <\/span>shipped<\/span><\/a> three Chang Bogo-class attack submarines to Indonesia.<\/span><\/p>\n In addition, Thailand and Indonesia currently operate T-50 Golden Eagle trainer aircraft, the Philippines operate the FA-50 light fighter variant and Malaysia has recently <\/span>placed an order<\/span><\/a> for the Block 20 variant of the FA-50.<\/span><\/p>\n The region\u2019s arms sales are now accompanied by <\/span>greater security and strategic engagement<\/span><\/a> than the traditional offers of technology transfer and local assembly.<\/span><\/p>\n The ROK\u2019s defense relations with ASEAN member states gained momentum under President Moon Jae-in\u2019s <\/span>New Southern Policy<\/span><\/a>. Several memorandums of understanding on defense cooperation were signed with individual ASEAN members between 2017 and 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n The Yoon administration has capitalized on this momentum, conducting <\/span>the first informal meeting<\/span><\/a> of Korean and ASEAN defense ministers in 2021. Further efforts are being made to regularize these meetings.<\/span><\/p>\n