Session 1 / Opening Remarks
by H.E. Yun Byung-se
Minister of Foreign Affairs

The 4th Mekong-Korea Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
July 29, 2014

Let me first extend my warmest welcome to all delegations of the Mekong countries for coming to Korea. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Thailand for their excellent work as co-chair in preparing for the 4th Mekong-Korea Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

As we all remember, it was only three years ago in 2011, when the 1st Mekong-Korea Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was inaugurated and adopted our charter, called Han-River Declaration of Establishing the Mekong-Korea Comprehensive Partnership for Mutual Prosperity (2011).

In accordance with this declaration, the first three Mekong-Korea Foreign Ministers’ Meetings focused on its three visions, i.e., enhancement of connectivity, sustainable development and people-oriented development.

Based on the significant progress made over the last three years in several areas, we will be discussing today the adoption of first-ever Mekong-Korea Plan  of Action which will map out the future direction of cooperation for the next three years.

This plan, including a detailed program of action in the six priority areas of cooperation, i.e., Infrastructure, ICT, Green Growth, Water Resources Development, Agriculture and Rural Development, and Human Resources Development, will provide an added impetus to a variety of projects in these priority areas. It will be an important milestone in Mekong-Korea relations in the years to come.

Yesterday, I emphasized in my dinner speech that the Mekong region’s boundless potential combined with Korea’s experience of economic development can serve not only as a locomotive of Asian economic take-off, but also as a new growth engine for the world’s economy. In particular, Korea can contribute to narrowing the development gap and enhancing connectivity in the Mekong region where development projects are in great demand.

Fortunately, we now have very solid basis on which to elevate Mekong-Korea relations to a new height, in view of notable progress being made between  Korea and individual Mekong countries.

Over the short period of one and a half years, the leaders and foreign ministers of Korea and Mekong countries met a total of nine times. Such frequent exchanges at high-level clearly demonstrate the depth and the breath of Korea’s bilateral exchanges with Mekong countries that is matched by no other region. Even the first state visit made by President Park Geun-hye last year, following her visits to the United States and China, was to one of the Mekong countries.

However, we should not lose sight of the important fact that our cooperation is taking place within a much broader framework of Korea-ASEAN cooperation.  As relations between ASEAN and Korea continue to strengthen, the foundation for cooperation between Mekong countries and Korea  also become stronger, and vice versa. 

This belief is also in line with the chairman’s statement of the 16th ASEAN-Korea Summit last year, through which our leaders attached great importance to Mekong-Korea cooperation in contributing to ASEAN’s endeavor to narrowing the development gap and enhance regional connectivity, economic integration and ASEAN community building.

As we are well aware, the results of last year’s successful ASEAN-Korea Summit have led to a qualitative change in the dialogue relations between ASEAN and Korea.

This is why one Korean journalist recently described ASEAN as “the secret weapon of Korea’s foreign policy.” As such, Korea’s stake in and commitment to cooperation with ASEAN countries have increased tremendously over the years.

On my part, I myself  spent much of my time over the past year and a half both visiting ASEAN countries and holding discussions with many ASEAN colleagues. This week and the next, I will be tied up presiding over this meeting and also getting prepared for the upcoming ASEAN related meetings in Myanmar.

Most importantly, in December, Korea will host the ASEAN-Korea Commemorative Summit, the second of such summit in five years, to celebrate the 25 years of dialogue relations.

I expect leaders from the Mekong countries will visit Korea for the Commemorative Summit and, on that occasion, hold various bilateral and multilateral talks, which will add new momentum to Mekong-Korea and ASEAN-Korea relations. The continued development of the ASEAN-Korea Strategic Partnership will serve as solid foundation for further strengthening Mekong-Korea relations.

Finally, I would like to remind you that this year marks the “Mekong-Korea Year of Exchanges.” Like the slogan Miracle of the Han River, Rise of the Mekong River, I hope today’s meeting will provide  another momentum for our two dynamic regions to move towards a partnership of trust and happiness.

Thank you.