1. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choi Jong Kun had a meeting with the ASEAN Committee in Seoul (ACS) on the afternoon of March 5 and discussed ways to work together for an effective implementation of the New Southern Policy Plus.

° Vice Minister Choi has had a meeting with the ACS on a regular basis since the second half of 2020, and this meeting marked the third of its kind.

2. Vice Minister Choi called on the military and police authorities of Myanmar to immediately stop the use of violence against the protesters, stressing that the Korean government supports the Myanmar people’s demand for democracy.

3. Vice Minister Choi also shared the key work plans for 2021 pursuant to the seven initiatives of the New Southern Policy Plus, particularly adding that cooperation in 2021 will focus on projects needed by ASEAN including those for rendering assistance tailored to building ASEAN’s public health capability and for establishing the Korea-ASEAN Financial Cooperation Center.

° The Ambassadors from ASEAN member states took note that the New Southern Policy Plus is producing tangible results through concrete projects, and voiced hope that Korea and ASEAN would work actively together to make mutually beneficial achievements mainly in the seven initiatives of the policy.

4. Vice Minister Choi and the Ambassadors of ASEAN member states agreed to work closely together for the success of the ASEAN-related events in 2021, including the ASEAN-related Summits in the second half of the year. They also agreed to seek close cooperation with the sub-regions in ASEAN, such as cooperation between Korea and the Mekong region as well as between Korea and the Maritime Southeast Asian countries.