서강대학교

초록/요약

East Asia is a region undergoing vast development. As the region further cooperates in terms of economics and politics, it is significant to study the leadership in the region in order to have a clear visual ofthe trajectory of East Asia. China, Japan and South Korea have emphasized their support and recognition of ‘ASEAN centrality’ in East Asian regional cooperation in the recently concluded 2010 ASEAN Ministerial Summit held in Hanoi. Hence, this research examines the validity and extent of the lead role of ASEANby chronicling official statements and press releases of the ‘plus three countries’ as well as analyzing the aftermath of the 1998 Asian Financial Crisis.This research argues that in terms of credibility and status, ASEAN had become a leader by default in the region due to the convenience of its sole existence and scope of its initiated frameworks. The findings also point that, with all things constant, the validity and extent of ASEAN’s leadership contribution in East Asian regional cooperation lies in its capacity to stimulate China, Japan and South Korea to move into new plane of regional integration by cultivating shared norms, values and rules.With the absence of the platforms of ASEAN in the region, it would be highly unlikely to reach the current status of cooperation in East Asia. Thus, ASEAN’s lead can be best depicted in its pivotal role in synchronizing cooperation in the region notwithstanding its limitations in practical and timely policy coordination.