1. Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Yoon Soon-gu held a briefing session for Ambassadors of ASEAN member states to the Republic of Korea at the official residence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs on June 7 to explain the progress in preparations for the 2019 ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit to take place in Busan on November 25 and 26.

​

° The briefing session brought together officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including H.E. Amb. Suh Jeong-in, Executive Director of the Preparatory Office for the 2019 ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit, and Mr. Koo Hong-seok, Director-General for ASEAN and Southeast Asian Affairs; the Ambassadors to the ROK from eight member states of ASEAN; and the Ambassadors-Designate to the ROK from two ASEAN countries*.

​
*Ambassadors-Designate to the ROK from Brunei Darussalam and the Republic of the Philippines

2. In the session, the ROK side briefed on the tentative program of the 2019 ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit, its side events, deliverables, and protocol and logistical matters for assistance on visits to the ROK by heads of state; and asked for active cooperation and assistance of the Embassies of the ASEAN member states in the ROK in preparing for the success of the Summit.

° The Ambassadors from the ASEAN countries to the ROK, commending the substantial progress in preparations by the ROK government, voiced hope that the Commemorative Summit will help further strengthen the ASEAN-ROK relations.

※ The tentative program of the 2019 ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit includes a welcoming dinner on November 25; and an ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit, a retreat luncheon, and a joint press conference on November 26.

3. The upcoming ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit is expected to serve as an opportunity to review the progress in the ASEAN-ROK relations over the past 30 years; to put forward a vision for the next 30 years; and thereby to further accelerate the implementation of the New Southern Policy. The ROK government will continue efforts to make a success of the Commemorative Summit on the basis of close cooperation with the ASEAN countries.

* unofficial translation