The current global economic crisis has alerted East Asian countries to the risks of excessive dependence on exports to the United States and EU. This shared sense of vulnerability is likely to promote regional economic integration. In particular, intra-regional trade is now viewed as a new potential engine of growth. The ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Area (AKFTA) is a concrete example of this general trend. This paper qualitatively and quantitatively examines the economic feasibility and desirability of AKFTA — qualitatively using the theory of economic integration and quantitatively by applying a CGE model. Our analysis provides some grounds for optimism about AKFTA’s prospects.