Looking for the Future Directions of Cultural Heritage Cooperation between Korea and ASEAN

 - International Conference commemorating the 35th Anniversary of Establishment ASEAN-Korea Dialogue (6.26)…Announcement of Action Plan for ASEAN-ROK Cooperation Fund and International Development Cooperation-

To commemorate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN-ROK Dialogue relations, the Korea Heritage Service (KHS, Administrator Choi Eung-Chon), in collaboration with the ASEAN Secretariat, held the International Conference on ASEAN-ROK Cultural Heritage Cooperation for promoting forward-looking cultural heritage partnerships between ASEAN and Korea. The event took place on June 26, 2024, at the Novotel Ambassador Dongdaemun Grand Ballroom in Seoul.

Under the theme of "The Future of ASEAN-ROK Cooperation: Cultural Heritage and Socio-Cultural Solidarity," the conference examined the progress of cultural heritage cooperation between Korea and ASEAN and explored future directions and policy measures from the perspectives of both parties.

In this conference, Mr. Choi Eung-chon, the Administrator of Korea Heritage Service, H.E. Ekkaphab Phanthavong, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), Ms. Lee Kyung-ah, Director-General for Public Diplomacy and Cultural Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mission of the Republic of Korea to ASEAN, Ambassadors/Representatives from the ASEAN Embassies in Seoul, members of the ASEAN-ROK Working Committee on Cultural Heritage Cooperation, and domestic and international ASEAN-related institutions and experts attended.
* ASEAN-ROK Working Committee on Cultural Heritage Cooperation: The first intergovernmental network in the cultural heritage field between ROK (Korea Heritage Service) and ASEAN, comprising 24 cultural heritage officials including representatives from Korea, 10 ASEAN member states and the ASEAN Secretariat.
* ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations): an international organization consisting of Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia

The conference consisted of three sessions: the first session reviewed the current status of cultural heritage cooperation between Korea and ASEAN and discussed future cooperation directions. Notably, KHS, in collaboration with ASEAN member states, has recently been in close consultation with ASEAN-Korea Programme Management Team (AKPMT) to promote a cooperative flagship project called ‘Enhancing ASEAN-ROK Socio-Cultural Connectivity through Cooperation on Shared Cultural Heritage’.
In addition, the KHS announced the plan to establish the ASEAN-ROK cultural heritage cooperation strategy with ASEAN from 2025 as a follow-up task for cultural heritage when establishing a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) between ASEAN and Korea currently underway.
* In 2022, the Korean government formally proposed elevating the relationship with ASEAN from the "Strategic Partner" status declared in 2010 to a higher diplomatic level, marking the 35th anniversary of establishing ASEAN-ROK dialogue relations in 2024.
* Established a plan encompassing mutual understanding of shared cultural heritage (in-depth research, book publication, etc.), awareness raising (development of digital content and capacity building), and regional cooperation (formulation of ASEAN-ROK strategy etc.) from 2025 to 2028.

In the second session, ASEAN cultural heritage experts discussed the future of cultural heritage cooperation between Korea and ASEAN, focusing on cultural heritage and the creative economy, enhancing socio-cultural connectivity through shared cultural heritage, and discussing the application and utilization of digital technology in the cultural heritage sector. They also emphasized the necessity of development of specific and substantive cooperation measures in the cultural heritage sector for Korea and ASEAN in the future.

The third session, chaired by H.E. Suh Jeong-in, the former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to ASEAN, brought together policy experts from Korea and ASEAN to discuss cooperation policies in the cultural heritage sector to enhance the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. Participants emphasized the need for a cooperative strategy in the field of cultural heritage that both Korea and ASEAN can resonate with, securing financial resources including extension of the funds for cultural heritage sectors within the ASEAN-ROK Cooperation Fund, and the need for concrete discussions to evolve to the next stage of ASEAN-ROK Working Committee on Cultural Heritage Cooperation.

Based on the discussions at the conference, the KHS and ASEAN Secretariat released a joint press statement outlining the practical implementation measures such as the extension of the ASEAN-ROK Cooperation Fund and Official Development Assistant (ODA) to advance the flagship project ‘Enhancing ASEAN-ROK socio-cultural connectivity through cooperation on shared cultural heritage’.

Through the announcement of the joint press statement, the conference participants expressed gratitude towards the Korean government's efforts in promote ASEAN-ROK cultural heritage cooperation and pledged to continue making practical achievements in the future.

Meanwhile, the 4th ASEAN-ROK Working Committee Meeting on Cultural Heritage Cooperation, scheduled for June 27th, will further discuss specific implementation plans for the project ‘Enhancing ASEAN-ROK socio-cultural connectivity through cooperation on shared cultural heritage’ and the establishment of ASEAN-ROK cultural heritage cooperation strategy.

The KHS aims to enhance communication with ASEAN through effective operation of the ASEAN-ROK Working Committee on Cultural Heritage Cooperation and actively implement Korea's core diplomatic policy of "Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative (KASI)" in the field of cultural heritage.