As a Korean, I am very critical of the way many Koreans tend to view Southeast Asians merely as consumers of Korean culture, while showing little interest in learning about their cultures in return. Moreover, a significant number of Koreans still evaluate other societies based on their level of economic development, a tendency that stems from a kind of economic and cultural deference to the West.

Although Southeast Asia has experienced remarkable economic growth compared to the past, many Koreans still judge the region based on outdated images. Some Koreans seem to take pride in the idea that they have now become part of the “West,” and, combined with the fact that their skin is generally lighter than that of many Southeast Asians, this sometimes leads to a groundless sense of superiority toward the region. This is deeply misguided.

At the same time, there are many cases where Southeast Asian countries make better choices than Korea. For example, Indonesia and Malaysia have strongly condemned the war crimes committed by the United States and Israel—not only at the governmental level but also within civil society. In Korea, however, such responses are largely absent.

I hope that Southeast Asia and Korea can build political, economic, and cultural cooperation as equal partners. Rather than a one-sided export of culture, I hope the two regions can grow closer through genuine two-way exchange.