ASEAN-Korea Centre hosts talks, workshop on ESG and AI collaboration

ASEAN-Korea Centre Secretary General Kim Jae-shin, center, poses with ASEAN ambassadors and diplomats during the ASEAN-Korea Sustainable Innovation Talks and Workshop in Seoul, Thursday. Photo courtesy of ASEAN-Korea Centre

In his opening remarks, Secretary General Kim Jae-shin welcomed participants and stressed the importance of pairing sustainability with digital innovation.

“Amid rapid technological innovation, I am confident that ASEAN and Korea can leverage sustainability and AI as mutually reinforcing forces, driving responsible innovation, fostering inclusive growth and creating long-term value and a prosperous tomorrow,” Kim said. He thanked partners, including Yonsei University’s Digital Trade Research Center and the ASEAN Innovation Business Platform, for supporting the initiative, and emphasized the centre’s ongoing efforts to deepen ESG cooperation.

Congratulatory remarks were also delivered by ASEAN Committee in Seoul Chairman and Singapore Ambassador-designate Wong Kai Jiun, who praised the ASEAN-Korea Centre and its partners for organizing the event.

He noted that ASEAN is committed to the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, citing the ASEAN SDG Indicators Baseline Report of 2020 and ASEAN Economic Community Strategic Plan 2026-2030. Highlighting the ASEAN-Korea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established last year, he underscored the shared goal of building a smarter, sustainable and resilient future. Wong also pointed to the significance of the talks in advancing ESG partnerships, fostering AI collaboration to address climate change and inclusivity, and enriching dialogue by incorporating perspectives from the EU and the U.S.

Since 2022, the ASEAN-Korea Centre has advanced collaboration through projects such as the bilingual guidebook “ESG Practices in ASEAN & Korea: Pathways Towards Sustainability.” Kim announced that a second volume, “ESG Practices in ASEAN and Korea Part II: Pathways in Action — Corporate Implementation Case Studies,” will be published by the end of the year, highlighting corporate initiatives across all 10 ASEAN member states.

Kim also underscored both the potential and risks of AI, citing a Goldman Sachs estimate that AI could boost global gross domestic product by $7 trillion in the next decade while affecting nearly 40 percent of jobs worldwide.

“AI is also a powerful enabler of ESG goals, assisting organizations to set objectives, measure progress and make data-driven decisions,” he said. But he cautioned that AI presents challenges including significant energy consumption, bias and decision-making errors that could undermine sustainability.

The first day of the event featured three sessions of Sustainable Innovation Talks. First, company representatives from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and the Philippines shared their ESG strategies and practices. A second session examined AI through an ESG lens, with presentations on its economic implications in ASEAN, its role in advancing climate goals, inclusive AI practices and human-centered governance.

The third session explored global AI regulatory trends, with experts discussing policy perspectives from the European Union, United States, ASEAN and Korea, moderated by Dr. Aladdin D. Rillo, managing director for policy design and operations at the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia. Sivaram Superamanian, head of the Digital Economy Division at the ASEAN Secretariat, introduced the ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics, updated in 2025 to include generative AI.

On Friday, the Sustainable Innovation Workshop will bring together ASEAN and Korean companies for small-group discussions, an “innovation sprint” and presentations designed to spark direct business engagement. The program serves as a networking platform for exploring practical avenues for joint projects and sustainable innovation.

“This event served as an important platform to explore synergies between ESG and AI, strengthening ASEAN-Korea collaboration on sustainability and assessing both regions’ readiness for AI adoption,” Kim said. “The forthcoming ASEAN-Korea ESG report is also expected to provide a concrete road map for further enhancing ESG cooperation between the two regions.”

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