In-House Session held with Korea Institute of Defence Analyses (KIDA)

Islamabad, March 15, 2023 (Online): The China Pakistan Study Centre (CPSC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies (ISSI) organised an In-House session with Korea Institute of Defence Analyses (KIDA) on “Pakistan-South Korea Relations.”

The discussion was chaired by Dr. Talat Shabbir, Director CPSC, ISSI. The participants included: Mr. Kim Ki-won, Research Fellow-KIDA, Mr. Noh In-Kyu, Associate Research Fellow- KIDA and Director Arsalan, Ministry of Defence, Mr. Malik Qasim Mustafa, Director ACDC, Mr. Muhammad Ali Baig, Research Fellow, and Ms. Uroosa Khan, Research Associate/Editor Pivot.

Dr. Talat Shabbir, Director CPSC in his welcome remarks, gave a brief overview of the working of the Institute and its organizational structure. He noted that the world today is in a state of transition and multiple centres of power are emerging and asserting themselves which is redefining the contours of the modern world. Major powers have a responsibility towards ensuring international peace and Pakistan is also trying to play its role in ensuring peace in South Asia and beyond. He further said that ISSI would like to work on three core areas with Korea Institute of Defence Analyses (KIDA) and Republic of Korea (ROK). First, have a bilateral dialogue on Climate Change; second, initiate a discourse regarding Pakistan-RoK trade and investment cooperation; and, third have think-tank collaboration with Korea Institute of Defence Analyses (KIDA) to work together on areas of mutual interest.

Mr. Kim Ki-won, Research Fellow-KIDA said that it is very important to understand Pak-RoK relations in all domains. He agreed that think-tank collaboration is very important and also suggested to have cooperation in the domain of cyber security and emerging technologies.

Mr. Malik Qasim Mustafa, Director ACDC while talking about nuclear safety, emerging technologies & cyber security noted that Pakistan today faces militarization within South Asia and in Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and India’s aggressive militarization poses a threat to Pakistan. He emphasized that the International Community should recognize the security concerns in this region and respond to these reasonably and objectively. He further added that Pakistan has always supported the UNSC resolutions and will continue to do so in the future.

Mr. Noh In-Kyu, Associate Research Fellow- KIDA, in his remarks, noted that in South Korea the knowledge and understanding regarding the South Asian region could be improved by think-tank collaboration, people-to-people contacts and academic exchanges. He added that small-scale economic cooperation between the two states can pave way for large scale cooperation in the future.

Mr. Muhammad Ali Baig, Research Fellow-CPSC, in his comments, suggested that Pakistan and South Korea can have collaboration in the auto-mobile industry and high-tech industry in manufacturing electronics like cellular phones, tablets, smart watches etc. Moreover, in the domain of defence cooperation the two sides can have collaboration in the aerospace industry.