1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a meeting with the ASEAN Committee in Seoul (ACS) on the morning of November 23 and exchanged views on the “New Southern Policy Plus” initiative announced by the government of the Republic of Korea during the ASEAN-ROK Summit held on November 12.

° The ROK side included Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jong Kun and Director-General for ASEAN and Southeast Asian Affairs Park Jae-kyung of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

2. Vice Minister Choi stressed that, even amid the COVID-19 situation, the ROK government has worked closely with ASEAN, including continuing high-level exchanges and establishing “fast-track procedures” for business people. He added that the ROK will further strengthen cooperation on health and medical care and toward economic recovery, as well as solidarity and collaboration against non-traditional security threats through the New Southern Policy Plus; and asked for attention and support of the members of the ACS.

3. The Ambassadors from the ASEAN countries welcomed and expressed support for the ROK government’s announcement of its “New Southern Policy Plus” and voiced hope that the ASEAN-ROK Strategic Partnership could take a big step forward through the faithful implementation of “the New Southern Policy Plus.”

° The participants also extended appreciation to the ROK government for making all-out efforts to advance the ASEAN-ROK relations with a focus on ASEAN diplomacy over the past three years.

4. Vice Minister Choi and the other participants agreed to step up communication between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the ACS in order for “the New Southern Policy Plus” to produce mutually beneficial results across the board, including political and social affairs, economy and health.