1. On August 1, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha met with the members of the ASEAN Committee in Seoul (ACS), the group of the Ambassadors to the Republic of Korea from the ten member states of ASEAN. In the meeting, the Minister explained the ROK government’s policy to enhance its relations with ASEAN in a bid to seek diplomatic diversification, and exchanged views with the Ambassadors on major issues ahead of the ASEAN-related foreign ministerial meetings scheduled to come this weekend.

2. Minister Kang, citing her hard work at the UN to step up cooperation between ASEAN and the organization, spoke of the keen interest in ASEAN she had taken during her service at the UN. She went on to stress that as can be seen from the dispatch of a special envoy of the President to ASEAN, the first such move by an ROK government on the heels of its launch, the ROK government attaches great significance to enhanced ties with ASEAN.

° In response, the Ambassadors from the ASEAN countries, hailing the new ROK government’s policy toward ASEAN, suggested that the ROK and ASEAN, drawing upon their shared expectations for a closer cooperation, work together to reap tangible results from such tighter cooperation.

° Minister Kang extended congratulations to ASEAN over the 50th anniversary of its founding and commended the body for the contributions it has made to peace and stability in East Asia since its founding. She added that particularly with the year 2017 marking a year of ROK-ASEAN cultural exchanges and an ASEAN Culture House set to open in the ROK in 2017, the ROK will actively implement people-centered diplomacy toward ASEAN in the hope that the ROK and ASEAN will become true friends and partners.

° Furthermore, the Minister, expressing hope that the ROK and ASEAN will seek sustainable co-prosperity and jointly build a peaceful and safe East Asia, mentioned that she will exchange views in this regard with her counterparts from the ASEAN countries at the forthcoming ASEAN-related foreign ministerial meetings. She also suggested that the ROK Foreign Ministry and the diplomats to the ROK from the ASEAN countries, in close communication with each other, explore ways to advance the relations.

3. The meeting between the ROK Foreign Minister and the ACS members on August 1 is seen to have served as a good opportunity to reaffirm the ROK government’s commitment to reinforce its ties with ASEAN and to review ahead of the upcoming ASEAN-related foreign ministerial meetings ways that the two sides can work together.

4. ASEAN is the ROK’s second-largest trading partner; second-largest investment destination; second-largest construction market; and top tourist destination.


* unofficial translation