South Korea's 'RISE Asia' initiative, aimed at enhancing energy security in the region, is set to expand into the ASEAN multilateral cooperation framework. Key areas of collaboration will include nuclear energy cooperation and the modernization of renewable energy and power grids.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment announced that a government delegation led by Kim Ji-young, Director of International Cooperation, will attend the 23rd ASEAN+3 Energy Ministers' Meeting and the 20th East Asia Summit Energy Ministers' Meeting in Manila, Philippines, on October 8. Energy ministers and representatives from 11 ASEAN countries, along with South Korea, China, Japan, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, India, and Russia, will participate in the meetings.
Participants will discuss strengthening energy supply chain resilience, modernizing power grids, and collaborating on clean energy solutions based on the 'ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2026-2030,' which takes effect this year.
The joint press statement expected to be adopted at the meeting will reflect South Korea's RISE Asia initiative, nuclear cooperation with ASEAN, and renewable energy collaboration. RISE Asia aims to assess both traditional energy sources, such as oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG), and clean energy supply chains while enhancing regional information sharing and crisis response capabilities.
RISE Asia originated from a proposal by President Lee Jae-myung during the G7 summit in June, focusing on strengthening energy supply chain resilience in the Asia-Pacific region. Following a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between the Ministry of Climate and the IEA on September 17, the initiative has now been incorporated into the ASEAN+3 joint press statement. South Korea plans to develop practical cooperation projects that reflect the needs of ASEAN member countries after establishing detailed action plans with the IEA.
Cooperation in the nuclear sector will also be expanded. The APAEC, effective this year, includes civilian nuclear energy as one of its seven key programs. The Korea Nuclear Export Industry Association and the ASEAN Centre for Energy are jointly conducting research on 'ASEAN Nuclear Financing and Human Resource Development.'
During the meeting, South Korea is expected to announce plans to implement capacity-building projects in policy, human resources, and safety based on member countries' needs over the next three years starting in 2027. In the renewable energy and power grid sectors, the focus will be on enhancing the flexibility and resilience of power grids to accommodate the increasing electricity demand driven by the expansion of AI and data centers.
Since 2018, South Korea has co-chaired the 'Renewable and Alternative Energy Development' working group of the East Asia Summit with Brunei. Recently, the scope of cooperation has expanded to include smart grids and power grid modernization.
Kim Ji-young stated, 'The energy crisis originating from the Middle East has highlighted the need for a coordinated response among Asian countries. We will share RISE Asia with ASEAN member countries and broaden cooperation to enhance energy security in Asia, encompassing nuclear power, renewable energy, and power grids.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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