Exchange
Nation-wide Solidarity with Major Institutions
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The Korean Association of Southeast Asian Studies (KASEAS) actively collaborates with leading university research centers in Korea, playing a pivotal role as a platform for academic cooperation among diverse research institutions. In partnership with these centers, the association organizes an annual academic conference and conducts monthly seminars in an open and inclusive manner.
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The Council of ASEAN Professors in Korea (CAPK), representing domestic professors from Southeast Asia, actively participates in the association's annual academic conference. Moreover, the KASEAS collaborates annually with the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP) for joint academic conferences. The association also engages in diverse irregular academic events through collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, the KF ASEAN Culture House, and domestic Southeast Asian embassies. The ASEAN-Korea Centre, an institutional member of the KASEAS collaborates closely on association events.
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Prominent university research centers participating in recent association events include the Institute for East Asian Studies at Sogang University, the Asiatic Research Institute at Korea University, the Institute for Southeast Asian Studies at Jeonbuk National University, the Research Institute for Marine and Culture at Mokpo National University, the Korean Institute for ASEAN Studies at Busan University of Foreign Studies, the Dong-A Institute of ASEAN Studies, the Southeast Asia Research Center of Institute for Global and Area Studies at Pukyong National University, the Southeast Asia Center at Seoul National University Asia Center, and the Center for Global Korean & Asian Studies at Inha University.
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Continuing its commitment to inclusivity, the KASEAS strives to elevate the inclusiveness of Southeast Asian studies by fostering open collaboration with domestic research institutes, academic societies, civil organizations, immigrant groups, government entities, and economic circles.
East Asia Academic Exchange
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KASEAS-CSEAS Joint Conference
The KASEAS, in collaboration with the Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) at Kyoto University, introduced the KASEAS-CSEAS Joint Conference in 2009. Initially organized biennially as an alternately hosted scholarly meeting between Korea and Japan, it transitioned to an annual academic conference in 2020. The conference aims to foster the exchange of research interests, achievements, and networks among Southeast Asian researchers from Korea and Japan, contributing to the nuanced development of Southeast Asian studies.
The collaboration between Southeast Asian scholars from Korea and Japan also played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Southeast Asian Studies Asia Academic Conference (SEASIA Conference: https://seasia-consortium.org/). Operational coordination on the Korean side for the stable execution of the KASEAS-CSEAS Joint Conference is overseen by the Institute for Southeast Asian Studies at Jeonbuk National University. CSEAS at Kyoto University is actively working to extend connections beyond Kyoto within Japan's Southeast Asian studies community. Recently, both Korea and Japan have recognized the necessity of reinforcing and supporting exchanges among young scholars.
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NEAT: Network for East Asian Think-tanks
The Network for East Asian Think-tanks (NEAT) was initiated in 2003 following the decision at the ASEAN Plus Three Summit after the East Asian economic crisis. Operating as a Track II dialogue, NEAT involves one think tank from each ASEAN country, Korea, China, and Japan. The Korean Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (KISEAS), under the auspices of the Korean Association of Southeast Asian Studies (KASEAS), has been designated as the Country Coordinating Institution since the 2nd NEAT Bangkok Conference in 2004, representing Korea in NEAT.
NEAT holds an Annual Conference and two Country Coordinator Meetings each year. Country coordinators select regional cooperation topics for working groups (NEAT WG). Typically, 4-5 NEAT WGs operate each year, and their results are formally presented as policy proposals at the annual ASEAN Plus Three Summit. The KASEAS actively proposes and operates NEAT WGs annually, gathering and sharing the insights of scholars from the 13 countries in the region. For more details, please visit the NEAT website: https://neat.org.ph.
In addition to KISEAS, other participating Country Coordinating Institutions include the Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies under the Brunei Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the General Department of ASEAN under the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Center for East Asian Studies at China Foreign Affairs University, the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Indonesia, The Japan Forum on International Relations, the Institute of Foreign Affairs under the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Institute of Strategic and International Studies in Malaysia, the Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore, the Institute of East Asian Studies at Thammasat University in Thailand, and the Institute for International Relations at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam.
Korea-ASEAN Academic Exchange
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Korea-ASEAN Academic Conference
The KASEAS has been actively fostering academic exchanges between Korea and ASEAN since its inception. From 1994 to 2016, it successfully organized the Korea-ASEAN Academic Conference on 11 occasions in diverse locations such as Seoul, Busan, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Penang, Bali, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Ho Chi Minh. Additionally, eight preparatory workshops were conducted for conference planning. In the initial years (1994-1995), collaboration with the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) in Singapore was instrumental, and from 1999 onwards, cooperation with the ASEAN University Network (AUN) based in Bangkok continued.
The Korea-ASEAN Academic Conference served as a pivotal platform for scholars from Korea and ASEAN to exchange knowledge, contributing to the advancement of Southeast Asian studies. The papers presented during these conferences were compiled into nine volumes of English academic publications.
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Korea-ASEAN Forum
Under the association, the Korea Institute for Southeast Asian Studies organized the ASEAN Forum 21 times, inviting Southeast Asian scholars and leaders to Korea for discussions on regional issues. Simultaneously, the Korea Forum was conducted 19 times, where Korean scholars visited Southeast Asia to present and deliberate on topics related to Korea-ASEAN relations. These forums, held from 2005 to 2016, provided practical platforms for understanding trends and challenges in Korea-ASEAN relations and deriving policy implications.
The Korea Institute for Southeast Asian Studies (KISEAS) under the association annually organized Advanced Seminars from 2005 to 2016, fostering collaboration between Korean and Southeast Asian graduate students. To efficiently execute forums and on-site seminars, KISEAS collaborated with the Southeast Asian Studies Regional Exchange Foundation (SEASREP), headquartered in Manila.
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Field-Work Grants
Field-Work Grants, supporting local research for scholars and graduate students from Korea and ASEAN, covered research expenses for on-site research. The program supported Korean scholars and graduate students conducting research in Southeast Asia and vice versa for ASEAN scholars and graduate students researching in Korea. Scholars supported by the program were required to stay in the host country for one month or more (for master's students) or three months or more (for doctoral students).
This pioneering program, unparalleled in the domestic academic community, significantly contributed to nurturing the next generation of researchers in Korean Southeast Asian studies. From 1999 to 2016, the Korea-ASEAN Association supported the on-site research expenses of 94 domestic graduate students, aiding in the completion of master's theses for 51 students and doctoral dissertations for 43 students in Southeast Asian studies.
The Korea-ASEAN Academic Exchange Project, made possible through funding from the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund (AKCF), unfortunately, ceased in 2017. Currently, the Korea-ASEAN Association is actively working towards reviving this longstanding academic exchange project.