ASEAN-Korea Digital Business Partnership 2025, a major business-matching event held in Jakarta, on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, brought together ASEAN digital industry players and 30 leading South Korean software companies specializing in Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based solutions, digital health and data and cyber security.

Director General of the National IT Industry Promotion Agency (NIPA) of Korea, Park Yunkyu, emphasized that digital cooperation between South Korea and ASEAN has been ongoing since 2023 and will continue to grow stronger. He noted that Korea has prioritized digital technology as a core national industry since the early 2000s and aims to be a global digital leader.

“ASEAN, including Indonesia, is growing rapidly in the digital sector. We believe Korea and ASEAN will become even stronger partners, with AI as a central bridge,” Park said in his opening remarks.

Satvinder Singh, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN, highlighted ASEAN’s role as a neutral and open platform for global partners. He noted that ASEAN is now the third-largest economic region in global trade, with a total GDP of US$3.8 trillion and an average annual growth rate of 4–4.5 percent.

“In 2024, ASEAN attracted US$224 billion in foreign direct investment, making it the largest FDI recipient outside the United States,” Singh said.

He added that initiatives like this are essential for accelerating economic digitalization across the ASEAN region and enhancing its global competitiveness amidst ongoing technological and geopolitical challenges.

“Korean technology is a key driver for ASEAN’s digital economic growth. ASEAN is entering a new era of digital transformation, and collaboration with Korea is critical,” he cited.

The event also served as a strategic platform for Korean companies to explore business opportunities in ASEAN, particularly in gaming, manufacturing, and big data analytics.