As North Korea strengthens ties with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to commemorate the Workers’ Party’s 80th anniversary, experts suggest this could contribute to peace on the Korean Peninsula.
In a report titled, North Korea’s ASEAN Diplomacy and Policy Challenges, Yoo Hyun-jung, a researcher at the National Security Strategy Institute, noted that ASEAN’s importance in North Korean diplomacy was reaffirmed during the Workers’ Party anniversary celebration.
The large-scale military parade in Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square on October 10 was attended by key ASEAN figures, including Vietnam’s Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith visited North Korea before the parade, holding a summit with Kim Jong Un, the Workers’ Party General Secretary.
Notably, the Vietnamese leader’s visit marked the first in 18 years. Throughout all events—including the pre-parade ceremony, parade, and banquet, Trong sat to Kim’s left, a position of honor.
While North Korea has closed several diplomatic missions since late 2023 for efficiency, it has increased its diplomatic exchanges with ASEAN.
In March and September of last year, Kim Song-nam, head of the International Department, and Park Sang-gil, Deputy Foreign Minister, visited Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Indonesia. In response, Vietnamese delegations visited Pyongyang three times, and a Laotian delegation visited North Korea in March.
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Yoo observed that North Korea’s diplomatic expansion to ASEAN—beyond its cooperation with Russia and China—stems from concerns that relying solely on these two powers could compromise its diplomatic autonomy.
He predicted North Korea would likely participate in international events such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) or the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP) to further strengthen its strategic cooperation with ASEAN.
Analysts suggest that ASEAN’s hedging strategy amid U.S.-China tensions—building diverse cooperation networks without fully aligning with either side—aligns with potential cooperation with North Korea.
Yoo recommended that South Korea leverage ASEAN’s role as a bridge to encourage North Korea’s active engagement with the international community.
He highlighted ASEAN’s potential as a mediator for Korean Peninsula peace, reminiscent of Singapore and Vietnam hosting U.S.-North Korea summits.
Yoo concluded that the growing political and diplomatic exchanges between North Korea and ASEAN not only diversify North Korea’s diplomacy but could also reshape regional dynamics. If South Korea can harness the mediation and engagement expertise of Southeast Asian nations, it could bolster sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula.
