1. A ceremony will take place at the ASEAN-Korea Centre’s ASEAN Hall at 18:30, May 8, to mark the publication of Field Guide to the Waterbirds of ASEAN, a project of the ASEAN-ROK Cooperation Fund.

° The book, authored by the ASEAN-Korea Environmental Cooperation Project (AKECOP) team, led by professor Lee Woo-shin of Seoul National University, and other relevant experts of ASEAN countries, consists of detailed information on a combined 342 types of birds found in ASEAN countries and will be used in studying waterbirds as well as preserving wetlands and protecting the ecosystem in the ASEAN region.

° Amid concerns over climate change causing a loss of wetlands, a decline in the waterbird population and other forms of ecological damage in the ASEAN region, the published book is expected to raise the awareness on the need to preserve biodiversity and the natural ecosystem in the region; to promote education, training and research activities in the field; and thereby to contribute to efforts to create a sustainable natural environment and build a regional community as stipulated in the blueprint for an ASEAN socio-cultural community.

2. The Republic of Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the ASEAN-ROK Cooperation Fund set up the year after the establishment of its dialogue relations with ASEAN in 1989, supported some 400 cooperation projects in various areas, including environment, education and culture, over the past 27 years, thereby contributing to efforts to enhance the ROK-ASEAN relations.

° In particular, the ROK government will seek to expand the coffers of the ASEAN-ROK Cooperation Fund, which helps to facilitate the ROK-ASEAN exchanges and cooperation, to an annual $14 mln by the year 2019 in a bid to expedite the creation of “a community for peace and prosperity for all citizens,” an objective of the ROK government’s New Southern Policy.

* unofficial translation