1. The 22^nd ASEAN-Republic of Korea Dialogue took place at a Shilla Hotel, Seoul, on June 21. In the latest round of the bilateral high-level meeting held on an annual basis since 1993, the two sides reviewed the progress in the bilateral cooperation across the board, including political and social affairs, security, economy and culture; and discussed ways to work together down the road.

※ The ROK delegation to the meeting was led by Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Yoon Soon-gu and composed of Ambassador to ASEAN Kim Young-chae and other officials, ten in total.

※ The participants from the ASEAN side included vice- or deputy-minister-level senior officials’ meeting (SOM) leaders from the ten ASEAN member states and a Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN, about 40 in total.

° The ASEAN delegation strongly welcomed and voiced support for the ROK government’s commitment to remarkably upgrade its relations with ASEAN through its New Southern Policy. The two sides agreed to work closely together as the ROK implements this policy.

° In particular, the ASEAN side took note of the fact that the New Southern Policy is focused not merely on economic cooperation but calls for a balanced cooperation mainly for people, co-prosperity and peace.

2. The ROK delegation, citing the ASEAN foreign ministers’ statement issued on June 16 to hail the success of the US-North Korea summit talks held on June 12, extended appreciation to ASEAN for its constant attention to and support for the efforts toward a complete denuclearization and a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.

° The ASEAN side, welcoming the recent, positive progress in the situation on the Korean Peninsula, stressed that as peace and stability of the ROK are closely linked to those in the ASEAN region, ASEAN would contribute more actively to them.

3. On a side note, on June 22, the ASEAN delegation to the meeting visited the Dorasan Observatory and the Imjingak park near the inter-Korean demilitarized zone, the Third Tunnel of Aggression built by North Korea, and other meaningful places where people could see for themselves the need for a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula.

* unofficial translation