Endeavoring for Sustainable Development: ASEAN-Korea Youth Leading Green Innovation and Inclusive Growth

Endeavoring for Sustainable Development: ASEAN-Korea Youth Leading Green Innovation and Inclusive Growth

-ASEAN-Korea Centre to Organize the 'ASEAN-Korea Youth Network Workshop' in Incheon and Phnom Penh (July 16-22)-

The ASEAN-Korea Centre (Secretary General Kim Jae-shin) is set to hold the '2025 ASEAN-Korea Youth Network Workshop' from July 16 to 22, in Incheon, Korea, and Phnom Penh, Cambodia, under the theme "Strengthening ASEAN-Korea Youth's Engagement: Leveraging the Green Economy for Inclusive Growth." The Workshop will bring together 50 undergraduate and graduate students from 10 ASEAN Member States (AMS) and Korea to engage in practical discourse on green economy, climate change response, sustainable development, and youth-led policy proposals.

Now in its 11th year, the workshop is co-organized by the ASEAN-Korea Centre, this year in partnership with Yonsei University Underwood International College, and the Institute for International Studies and Public Policy of the Royal University of Phnom Penh. The participants were selected through an open application process and nominations from embassies of respective ASEAN Member States (AMS) in Korea. They will engage in a wide array of activities including featuring expert lectures, site visits, and team-building missions.

Through expert lectures and discussions centered on green economy transformation, sustainable development cooperation, and strengthening ASEAN-Korea cooperation, the participants will explore practical solutions for inclusive growth. They will also deepen mutual understanding and friendship through team missions, site visits, and cultural activities. In Korea, the participants will visit the Seoul Energy Dream Center, the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and the ASEAN-Korea Centre, while in Cambodia, they will tour the Sosoro Museum of Economic and Monetary History, the Royal Palace, etc. More significantly, they will pay a high courtesy call to H.E. Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister
of Foreign Affairs of International Cooperation (MFAIC) of Cambodia, offering them a hands-on experience engaging with the high-ranking official.

The workshop has been held annually since 2012 in Korea and AMS to promote exchange and mutual understanding among ASEAN and Korean youth. It has taken place in countries such as Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam, connecting and building networks and friendship between ASEAN and Korean youth, while empowering them to discuss major global themes and offer solutions for the regional sustainable development and digital transformation.

In Secretary General Kim Jae-shin of the ASEAN-Korea Centre's remark, "This workshop serves as a meaningful platform for youth leaders to discuss the challenges of achieving inclusive growth through a green economy and to explore practical avenues for cooperation. We hope that youth participation will further deepen mutual understanding and strengthen ASEAN-Korea cooperation, particularly as this year's focus is on green transition and sustainable development."


In addition to Secretary General Kim, H.E. Chring Botumrangsay, Ambassador of Cambodia to Korea, and H.E. Kung Phoak, Secretary of State of MFAIC and ASEAN SOM Leader of Cambodia, will be present in both the opening and closing ceremony respectively to encourage the participants, and inform them of the significant bilateral relations between ASEAN and Korea, especially in its full-fledge implementation of its recent elevation to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The ASEAN-Korea Centre, established in 2009, is an intergovernmental organization dedicated to promoting cooperation between ASEAN and Korea in areas such as trade and investment, culture and tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. In particular, it places a strong emphasis on fostering mutual understanding among the next generation through various youth exchange programs, including flagship programs such as the ASEAN-Korea Youth Network Workshop.

Annex 1. Workshop Overview
Annex 2. Workshop Poster