East Asia today faces a wide range of political, social and economic challenges. Changing regional situations, developments in the Middle East, energy security concerns, population ageing, low birth rates, population decline and the rapid development of artificial intelligence are all reshaping the regional environment. These challenges cannot be addressed effectively by any single country alone. They require deeper mutual understanding, the sharing of policy experience and practical efforts to strengthen regional cooperation.

The 2026 East Asia Cooperation Forum, hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, is designed to provide a platform for dialogue among leading scholars, policy experts and practitioners from across the region. The Forum aims to assess the changing regional environment and explore sustainable ways to promote cooperation among East Asian countries.


The Forum will be organized around three sessions: Politics, Society and Economy. The political session will examine the regional environment facing East Asian countries, including regional situations, developments in the Middle East and energy security concerns, and will discuss possible ways to strengthen regional cooperation. The social session will address common demographic challenges such as population ageing, low birth rates and population decline, while comparing policy experiences across the region. The economic session will focus on AI technology, industrial strategy, norms, data policy and the creative economy. It will explore opportunities for cooperation in response to technological, industrial and cultural-economic transformation.

By bringing together experts and practitioners from across East Asia, the Forum seeks to promote informed dialogue, share policy experience and identify practical areas for cooperation. It is expected to contribute to building a more stable, sustainable and cooperative future for the region.