May 10, 2018

Word has been going around that Singapore might play host to the summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. But can Singapore and Southeast Asia take on other meaningful roles in this particular situation?

Dr. Hyejin Kim, Lecturer from the Department of Political Science at NUS, and Associate Professor Erik Mobrand from Seoul National University suggest that Southeast Asia has more to offer than merely playing host to the planned summit between USA and North Korea. Unlike the rest of the world that isolates North Korea in the international sphere, Southeast Asian governments are far less resistant towards speaking diplomatically with North Korea. This openness in dialogue is in turn essential in the current discussions surrounding North Korea. Furthermore, most of North Korea’s trading partners are within Southeast Asia, with one-fifth of the foreign embassies in Pyongyang coming from the region as well.

One way that Southeast Asia could contribute to improving North and South Korean relations is hosting technical training for North Koreans. Singapore and Malaysia are prime locations to offer English-language learning opportunities within Asia. Many Southeast Asian institutes also possess the practical infrastructure for exchanges between North and South Korean officials and educators regarding shared challenges such as environmental degradation. Additionally, universities and language institutes could also provide joint local language courses, allowing North and South Koreans to interact with each other. As the relations in the Korean peninsula begin to thaw, it seems like the prime time for Southeast Asia to contribute meaningfully towards broadening North Korea’s international engagement.

Read the full article here.