ASEAN, Korea meeting in Busan under “Partnership for Peace, Prosperity for People” theme

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha leads Korea’s delegation to the meeting – ASEAN Secretariat

Bangkok: The Republic of Korea (ROK) and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have recommended the drafting of a new ASEAN-ROK Plan of Action for 2021 – 2025.

The plan will consider the ASEAN – ROK Vision Statement for Peace, Prosperity and Partnership that will be issued at the third ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit to be held in Busan in November under the theme “Partnership for Peace, Prosperity for People.”

ASEAN and the Republic of Korea held a meeting in the Thai capital Bangkok that was co-chaired by the foreign ministers of Korea and Brunei Darussalam, the Country Coordinator for ASEAN – Republic of Korea Dialogue Relations.

The ministers took note of the ROK’s New Southern Policy to advance relations with ASEAN in all dimensions, and that the President of ROK had already visited seven ASEAN member states and plans to visit all ASEAN member states in the future.

They welcomed that this year marked the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-ROK Dialogue Relations and that the third ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit in November.

The meeting held during the 52nd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting/ Post Ministerial Conferences (PMCs) also reviewed synergies between ASEAN-led platforms and the G20 and views on regional and international issues, including trade tensions, the situation in the Korean Peninsula and the South China Sea, as well as the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, ASEAN Secretariat reported.

ASEAN – Korea meeting in Bangkok  – ASEAN Secretariat

On security, they discussed cooperation in counter terrorism, transnational crime, cyber security, and maritime security, with the objective of enhancing information sharing and capacity-building.

The ministers also discussed cooperation in digital economy, the ASEAN-Korea FTA, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), connectivity, smart cities, and the timely conclusion of discussions at the Working Group on the ASEAN-ROK Regional Air Services Agreement.

The Republic of Korea became a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of ASEAN in 1989 and was granted full Dialogue Partner status in 1991. At the 13th ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit in Hanoi, Viet Nam, the Dialogue Partnership was elevated to Strategic Partnership.

Brunei Darussalam foreign minister leads ASEAN’s delegation to the summit – ASEAN Secretariat

On the same occasion, both sides adopted the Joint Declaration on ASEAN-ROK Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity and the ASEAN-ROK Plan of Action for 2011-2015.

The Republic of Korea established its Permanent Mission to ASEAN in Jakarta in October 2012.