How ASEAN can gain from South Korea relations -- and Kim Jong Un

10-nation bloc should use Seoul's pivot south to bolster its diplomatic prowess

20191212 South Korea ASEAN

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, right, shakes hands with Thailand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha during the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit in Busan, South Korea on Nov. 25. © AP

TORU TAKAHASHI, Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Headquarters for Asia

BANGKOK -- South Korea recently held a special two-day summit with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Four days before it began on Nov. 25, North Korea's state media Korean Central News Agency reported that leader Kim Jong Un had received a summit invitation from Seoul but that he had declined.

"The kind offer is appreciated but the international conference does not have much to do with us," the agency said.

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored ContentThis content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.