1. Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam visited Singapore and Indonesia from April 30 to May 2, and met with Foreign Minister of Singapore Vivian Balakrishnan, Secretary-General of ASEAN Lim Jock Hoi, and Foreign Minister of Indonesia Retno Marsudi. In the meetings, Vice Minister Lim discussed ways to step up cooperation between the Republic of Korea and ASEAN based on the ROK government’s New Southern Policy, and explained the results of the latest inter-Korean summit.

2. On May 1, Vice Minister Lim met with Foreign Minister Balakrishnan in Singapore, the chair of ASEAN. In the meeting, Vice Minister Lim explained the ROK government’s New Southern Policy, and exchanged views on ways to strengthen cooperation between the ROK and ASEAN. He also expressed appreciation to ASEAN for welcoming the results of the inter-Korean summit by issuing joint statements (ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Statement (April 27), and Chairman’s Statement of the ASEAN Summit (April 28)), and asked for ASEAN’s continued support for the ROK government’s efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and establish peace on the Peninsula.

o Minister Balakrishnan said that Singapore supports the ROK’s initiative to strengthen its relations with ASEAN, and that as a country whose total trade is more than three times its GDP, Singapore hopes to increase trade and economic cooperation.

- The Minister added that ASEAN member states, including his country, hopes to see an establishment of peace on the Korean Peninsula, and supports the ROK’s efforts towards that.

3. On the afternoon of May 2, Vice Minister Lim met with Foreign Minister of Indonesia Retno in Jakarta. In the meeting, Vice Minister Lim exchanged views on the direction of the New Southern Policy, and ways to strengthen the ROK-Indonesia relations, including measures to follow up on President Moon Jae-in’s state visit to Indonesia in November 2017. He also explained the outcome of the latest inter-Korean summit, and looked forward to Indonesia’s cooperation regarding the ROK and North Korea’s joint participation in the Asian Games Jakarta-Palembang in August.

o Minister Retno took note of the ROK government’s efforts to enhance its relations with ASEAN, including President Moon’s state visit to Indonesia last year, and hoped to facilitate cooperation with the ROK in a range of areas, including cooperation through MIKTA.

- Minister Retno said that President Joko Widodo met with the ROK and North Korean Ambassadors, and extended congratulations on the success of the inter-Korean summit. She also said that her country actively supports the ROK’s efforts to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula, and hopes to closely consult with the ROK side on the formation of joint Korea teams at the Asian Games Jakarta-Palembang.

4. On the morning of May 2, Vice Minister Lim met with Secretary-General of ASEAN Lim Jock Hoi in Jakarta. In the meeting, Vice Minister Lim said that the ROK government is considering various measures to elevate its relations with ASEAN to a higher level, asking for the ASEAN Secretariat’s cooperation on this, and explained the results of the inter-Korean summit.

o Secretary-General Lim welcomed the ROK government’s initiative to strengthen its relations with ASEAN, and said that he is taking note of specific proposals made by the ROK, and that the ASEAN Secretariat will provide necessary support.

- The Secretary-General expressed hope that the positive momentum for peace on the Korean Peninsula created following the successful inter-Korean summit will continue, and that such positive moves will be further facilitated at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in August this year.

5. Vice Minister Lim’s visits to Singapore and Indonesia served as an opportunity to help major ASEAN countries and the Secretariat better understand the ROK government’s New Southern Policy; to contribute to fostering greater consensus on the need to increase cooperation between the ROK and ASEAN; and to strengthen ASEAN’s support for the ROK government’s efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and establish peace on the Peninsula, including the hosting of the inter-Korean summit.

* unofficial translation