1. The Foreign Ministry, together with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, hosted an ASEM Senior Officials Meeting on Trade and Investment (SOMTI) in Seoul on December 2, winning general support from ASEM member states on the Republic of Korea’s plan to host an ASEM Economic Ministers' Meeting (ASEM EMM) in 2017 after its ten-year hiatus.

2. The EMM to be hosted by the ROK in 2017 is highly symbolic of the commitment of ASEM members, accounting for 60% of the global GDP and trade, to cope jointly with global trade slowdown and trade protectionism as well as to step up Asia-Europe cooperation.

° At SOMTI, ASEM member countries engaged in robust discussions mainly on ways to boost trade and investment, enhance economic connectivity and achieve sustainable growth.

3. At the meeting, Deputy Director-General for Global Economic Affairs Suh Sang-pyo of the ROK Foreign Ministry mentioned that the ROK will consult closely with other ASEM members on cooperation agenda and the full range of relevant matters in a bid to make a success of the ASEM EMM in 2017.


* unofficial translation