Question map
Which one of the following is not a member of ASEAN ?
Explanation
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established in 1967 by five founding members: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand [1][t2]. Over the subsequent decades, the membership expanded to include Brunei Darussalam (1984), Vietnam (1995), Laos and Myanmar (1997), and Cambodia (1999), bringing the total to ten member states [c1][t7]. While South Korea (Republic of Korea) maintains a robust relationship with ASEAN as a Dialogue Partner and participates in the ASEAN Plus Three and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), it is not a member of the association [c4][t2]. Cambodia, Malaysia, and Singapore are all confirmed members, with Malaysia and Singapore being founding members [t2][t6]. Therefore, South Korea is the only country listed that is not a member of ASEAN.
Sources
- [1] Contemporary World Politics, Textbook in political science for Class XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 2: Contemporary Centres of Power > 20 Contemporary World Politics > p. 20