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Published on March 28, 2008

Korean leaders realised that they could no longer put all their attention into maintaining stability on the Korean Peninsula at the expense of limiting their own foreign policy objectives. President Lee Myung-bak has therefore adopted a new foreign policy approach, the so-called "Global Korea", hoping to move closer to Southeast Asia - a region that has long succumbed to bigger powers.

South Korea is currently Asean's fifth-largest trading partner with a total trade volume of more than US$70 billion (Bt2.2 trillion). The Korean-Asean Free Trade Agreement is expected to be completed during the Asean summit meeting in Bangkok later this year. The agreement will create a market of 548 million people with a combined economy of more than $1.4 trillion.

Korea has taken part in the Asean Regional Forum and the "Asean Plus Three" framework. The increasing economic and political presence of South Korea has been largely underpinned by the "Korean Wave", which promotes Korea's popular culture in Asia and beyond. Known as "Hallyu", it is  part of Korea's foreign policy mechanism designed to enhance the country's relations. The Korean Wave consists of various cultural elements, including films, soap operas, music, fashion and cuisine.

Despite South Korea's efforts to strengthen relations with Southeast Asia, the influence has remained slight. Korea is considered a newcomer in Southeast Asia.

While the Korean Wave may have been well received by Southeast Asians, a sense of discontent among locals towards Korea is gradually on the rise. Korea's cultural messengers, such as tourists, missionaries and businessmen, have misrepresented the Hallyu when they travel or work in Southeast Asia. They lack basic knowledge of and sensitivity towards local traditions, customs and cultural practices in Southeast Asian nations.

Because of such obvious shortcomings, the Asia Foundation and Yonsei University organised a public policy forum titled "Korea's Changing Role in Southeast Asia" in Seoul last week. Surin Pitsuwan, Asean secretary-general, was invited to participate. Surin stressed that the relationship must now transcend economics. "The Korea-Asean FTA is evolving very actively. Economically, you are already there," he said. "I think for South Korea, the third pillar (which is the socio-cultural community) is extremely important".

Aiming to raise awareness and understanding regarding Southeast Asia, the Korean Foreign Ministry announced the establishment of the Korea-Asean Centre, to be launched in June this year, with an initial budget of $3million. The Foreign Ministry said the centre would be set up to promote trade, investment, cultural exchanges and tourism between the two sides.

The announcement did not come without criticism. Korean critics said that the motive behind the centre was based purely on the economic imperatives Korea hoped to reap from its Southeast Asian neighbours, and that cultural promotion was only given little weight. At a time when the Korean Wave has declined in its influence - because of the misrepresentation of Korean culture in the hands of some Koreans - the Korea-Asean Centre must become more than just a trade promotion office. It must also be "clinic" that cures existing cultural misunderstandings between the two sides.

Dr Pavin Chachavalpongpun is a visiting research fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore.

Pavin Chachavalpongpun

The Nation