The ASEAN-Korea Center in Seoul published a book in late February to introduce the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to Korea and highlight the region’s integrative achievements.

The book, titled “ASEAN Community, at the Heart of Asia,” was written by Korea’s leading experts on Southeast Asia and summarizes progress made since the association’s establishment in 1967 to its launch of a community at the end of last year.

Under the banner “One vision, one identity and one community,” the new body consists of the ASEAN Economic Community, the ASEAN Political-Security Community and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.

By expounding the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 -- a medium-term development plan declared in Kuala Lumpur in last November -- the book also illuminates the community’s future and ASEAN’s relationship with Korea. 

“ASEAN is an integrated mega-region encompassing 630 million people and $2.6 trillion,” the center’s secretary general Kim Young-sun said in a speech at a book launch event on Feb. 29.

“Underlying this achievement of being a pioneer in regional integration is ASEAN’s basic spirit -- ‘symbiosis within diversity.’ I hope this book will add to the region’s efforts to realize peace, prosperity and progress and help strengthen our bilateral relations.”

At the ASEAN Hall of the center in Seoul, the book’s authors professor Yoon Jin-pyo of Sungshin Women’s University, professor Lee Choong-yul of Korea University and professor Choi Kyung-hee of Seoul National University Asia Center attended the launch event alongside ASEAN ambassadors in Korea as well as members of academia and media.

The book will be distributed across various relevant organizations and public libraries in Korea. It will also be displayed at the center’s ASEAN Hall on the eighth floor of the Korea Press Center in Seoul.

By Joel Lee (joel@heraldcorp.com)