Jaehyon Lee

ARCHIVE/SEARCH > Articles Articles South Korea Must Sharpen Its Strategy for Southeast Asia By Jaehyon Lee THE ASSOCIATION of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and South Korea are celebrating the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year. No one would deny that relations between the two, or between individual Southeast Asian states and South Korea, have greatly advanced over those years.

Silver medal winner Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week became the latest national leader to bank the immediate short-term political benefits from the projected long-term economic and soft power value of hosting the Olympic Games. Morrison declared after Brisbane won a competition against no obvious alternative bidder: “Once you’re an Olympic city, you know, that’s your Olympic city.

A pub quiz question for foreign policy nerds in ten years’ time: In early 2021, why did New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern accuse Scott Morrison’s government of not acting in good faith? “For not living up to its responsibilities on dual citizens crossing from Syria into Turkey” might be the required answer in New Zealand drinking places.