► On the 29 and 30 May 2023, President Yoon Suk Yeol hosted the country’s first summit with leaders of Pacific islands countries (PIC) in Seoul.

► While South Korea currently has only a modest influence in insular Pacific, this summit provides an opportunity to strengthen partnerships at the highest level, while targeting the needs of PIC to provide appropriate responses to increase their overall resilience.

► Being able to find autonomous room for maneuver to consolidate its position between the United States and China, South Korea also could play an important role as a diplomatic intermediary between the superpowers and the island states.

► With this Summit, Seoul wants to be seen as a true Indo-Pacific player, aware of all the regional issues and close to the micro-island states. But for this to happen, it needs to demonstrate a consistent and long-term commitment.