This study analyses two different visions of regionalism: one by Mahathir Mohamad, former Malaysian Prime Minister and the other one by Kim Dae-Jung, former Korean President. These two regional leaders had unrivaled impacts on the development of East Asian regionalism. Studies on the vision of regional leaders, however, is hard to be found and thus, this study is an experimental attempt to fill such a gap. Kim Dae-Jung and Mahathir share common geographical boundary of East Asia. More importantly, East Asian regional cooperation was to tackle national and regional crises for both Mahathir and Kim. Mahathir, in early 1990s, had to ensure Malaysian and regional economic growth, facing the rising regionalism in other regions and protectionism. Similarly, Kim had to cope with Asian Financial Crisis domestically and East Asian regional cooperation was a tool to rekindle domestic and regional economic growth after the crisis. On the other hand, Mahathir's vision for regional cooperation was heavily influenced by his long-standing anti-Western nationalism, thus resulting in a closed and exclusive regional cooperation which only benefits East Asian people and countries. On the contrary, Kim has long been a strong advocate of universal values of democracy against military regime in Korea. Thus, Kim's belief in universalism brought about a vision of open regional cooperation, based on universal values, that would do a good not only for East Asia but also for whole human being.