1. The 16th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Experts and Eminent Persons (EEPs) meeting was held on April 26 in Seoul. This is the second time that the ARF EEPs meeting has been held in Korea since the first meeting held in Jeju in 2006.

※ ARF EEPs meeting : As a 1.5-track knowledge community initiated by the ROK in 2006, it serves as an advisory board for the ARF. / EEP members, who are nominated by each ARF member state on a voluntary basis, discuss the medium to long-term development direction of the ARF and key security issues in the region.

※ ARF EEPs of the Republic of Korea: H.E. Suh Jeong-in (Former ROK Ambassador to ASEAN), H.E. Suh Chung-ha (Former ROK Ambassador to Singapore), Dr. Lee Jaehyon (Principal Fellow, Asan Institute for Policy Studies), Dr. Choi Yoon Jung (Director, Center for Diplomatic Strategy at the Sejong Institute), Mr. Park Jong Hyun (President, Journalists Association Korea)

2. Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Chung Byung-won emphasized in his opening remarks that this year is a significant one as the two sides are pushing to elevate ASEAN-ROK relations to the highest level in conjunction with the 35th anniversary of their Dialogue Relations. He stated that the ROK government, as ASEAN’s true friend, will continue to enhance ASEAN-ROK cooperation within ASEAN-led mechanisms including the ARF based on its firm support for ASEAN Centrality. He introduced the key points of the ROK government’s Indo-Pacific strategy and Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative (KASI) and highlighted the ROK government’s will to promote freedom, peace and prosperity in the region under its vision to serve as a Global Pivotal State.

3. Moreover, he emphasized that resolving the North Korean nuclear issue is essential for sustainable peace and stability in the region. He also stated that the ROK government, together with the ARF community, will continue its efforts to bring North Korea back to the path of denuclearization, and to realize a free, unified Korean Peninsula. In this regard, he noted that it is important to continue to send a clear and resolute message at the ARF level, so that North Korea realizes it will gain nothing from nuclear development and provocations.

4. The meeting, co-chaired by the ROK and Brunei Darussalam, was attended by more than 70 experts and eminent persons from 21 countries. Participants exchanged views on key regional and global issues including the Korean Peninsula, Myanmar, Ukraine, the South China Sea and the Middle East; emerging security issues such as cyber security; the future direction of the ARF; and perspectives of women and youth on peace and security.

5. The final Co-Chairs’ Summary of this 16th ARF EEPs meeting will be submitted to the ARF Foreign Ministerial Meeting to be held in Vientiane, Lao PDR, in late July this year.