Wednesday, 26 November 2025—President University hosted a session of the President University Ambassador Lecture Series at FabLab, President University Convention Center (PUCC), Jababeka City. The lecture featured H.E. Lee Jang-keun, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to ASEAN, who delivered a talk titled “Why ASEAN Matters: Strategic Presence and Engagement Beyond Borders.”

The session opened with remarks from Ibnu Hadi, Advisor to the Rector of President University and former Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Vietnam from 2016 to 2020. In his opening speech, he emphasized that the Republic of Korea is one of ASEAN’s strategic partners, with extensive cooperation established across various sectors. “This lecture is an important opportunity to gain deeper insights into the evolving relationship between ASEAN and the Republic of Korea,” he reminded.

In his lecture, Ambassador Lee highlighted ASEAN’s growing global significance. He stated that ASEAN is currently the world’s fifth-largest economy and is projected to soon become the fourth, continuing to strengthen its position in the global economic landscape. “In the coming years, ASEAN will become one of the world’s leading economic powers,” he explained.

Ambassador Lee also underscored ASEAN’s strategic relevance on the international stage, noting that ASEAN summits are not only attended by leaders of member states but are also joined annually by world leaders from outside the region. This consistent global engagement, he concluded, clearly demonstrates why ASEAN matters in shaping regional and global cooperation. (Graciella V, PR Team. Photo: PR Team)