Phnom Penh (VNA) – The 2st ASEAN-the Republic of Korea (RoK) Dialogue took place inCambodia’s Siem Reap province on June 22-23.
The dialogue aimed to discuss cooperationbetween the two sides and prepare for the ASEAN-RoK Ministers Meeting slatedfor August and the 19th ASEAN-RoK Summit in November.
Delegates at the event affirmed the significanceof the ASEAN-RoK strategic partnership to development of each side as well aspeace, stability, prosperity and connectivity in East Asia.
With the establishment of the ASEAN EconomicCommunity at the end of 2015 and rapid economic growth rate in recent years,ASEAN has become the RoK’s second largest trade partner, they said.
Through such frameworks as the ASEAN-Korea FreeTrade Agreement and the Action Plan during 2016-2020, the two sides set toraise their trade value to 200 billion USD by 2020.
RoK Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Jeong-kyo saidthat the new Korean administration continues to attach importance to ASEAN andsupport the ten-member group in promoting its central role in regionalcooperation and connectivity.
The RoK pledges to continue participating in andmaking active contributions to major ASEAN forums like the East-Asia Summit(EAS), the ASEAN Regional Forum, the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus(ADMM ) and the Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF).
At the dialogue, ASEAN countries noted theirwish that the RoK will expand its investment and business in the ASEAN marketand support their micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises.
The two sides also discussed measures to promotethe exchange of culture, tourism and education.
To mark 2017 as the year of ASEAN-RoK culturalcooperation, the RoK side is speeding up the construction of the ASEAN CultureHouse in Busan city, which is expected to be completed in September.
At the same time, the RoK will increase exchangeprogrammes with ASEAN youths and grant more scholarships to the bloc’s member countries.
The two sides compared notes on hot securityzones and non-traditional challenges. Regarding the Korean peninsula situation,the ASEAN nations reiterated the viewpoints shared by ASEAN ministers at astatement issued on April 28, 2017.
Expressing their concerns over the recentescalating tensions, the countries called on parties concerned to seriouslyimplement resolutions of the UN Security Council and seek peaceful measuresthrough dialogue and cooperation towards the denuclearisation of the Koreanpeninsula.
Talking about the East Sea issue, the RoK sideshowed its support for ASEAN’s stance and stressed the need to maintain peace,stability, security, maritime and aviation safety and freedom in the sea,respect international law, address disputes peacefully, conduct nomilitarisation and soon reach a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
The two sides pledged to continue cooperation incoping with terrorism, trans-national crimes, human and drug trafficking, anddisease prevention. The RoK side said it will continue helping the ASEAN CoordinatingCentre for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA) enhance its capacity in carrying outprojects.
Speaking at the dialogue, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung, head ofASEAN SOM Vietnam, affirmed that Vietnam and other ASEAN nations wish to promotemulti-faceted cooperation with the RoK, which is not only a strategic partnerof the bloc but also one of the strong member economies of the Asia-PacificEconomic Cooperation (APEC) and Group 20 (G20) with an important role and voicein regional and global issues.
The RoK and ASEAN hold enough conditions to become bridges for closerconnections between the Northeast and Southeast Asian regions, he said.
In addition to road and seaway connections, the Deputy FM suggested the twosides soon complete the ASEAN-Korea Air Transport Agreement to furtherfacilitate their investment, tourism and people-to-people exchange activities.
Vietnam is willing to coordinate with the RoK side in organising forums andevents to promote ASEAN-RoK cooperation and will contribute its outstandingcultural products for display at the ASEAN Cultural House in the RoK, Dungnoted.
According to him, as ASEAN and the RoK share a common goal of maintaining peaceand stability in East Asia, they should join hands to foster a rule-basedregional order, and support the central role and efforts of ASEAN in dealingwith regional security challenges.
Regarding the East Sea issue, the Vietnamese official reiterated Vietnam’sstance and wished other countries, including the RoK, to continue backing thepeaceful settlement of disputes in respect for international law, including the1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, legal and diplomatic processes, aswell as the serious implementation of the Declaration of Conduct of Parties inthe East Sea (DOC) and the practical building of a Code of Conduct in the EastSea (COC).
About non-traditional security challenges, besides maritime security, cybersecurity and transnational crimes, Dung stressed the need for collaboration inensuring water, energy and food security.
He applauded the RoK’s support for countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-regionto strengthen the sustainable management and use of the Mekong River waterresources.-VNA
The dialogue aimed to discuss cooperationbetween the two sides and prepare for the ASEAN-RoK Ministers Meeting slatedfor August and the 19th ASEAN-RoK Summit in November.
Delegates at the event affirmed the significanceof the ASEAN-RoK strategic partnership to development of each side as well aspeace, stability, prosperity and connectivity in East Asia.
With the establishment of the ASEAN EconomicCommunity at the end of 2015 and rapid economic growth rate in recent years,ASEAN has become the RoK’s second largest trade partner, they said.
Through such frameworks as the ASEAN-Korea FreeTrade Agreement and the Action Plan during 2016-2020, the two sides set toraise their trade value to 200 billion USD by 2020.
RoK Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Jeong-kyo saidthat the new Korean administration continues to attach importance to ASEAN andsupport the ten-member group in promoting its central role in regionalcooperation and connectivity.
The RoK pledges to continue participating in andmaking active contributions to major ASEAN forums like the East-Asia Summit(EAS), the ASEAN Regional Forum, the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus(ADMM ) and the Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF).
At the dialogue, ASEAN countries noted theirwish that the RoK will expand its investment and business in the ASEAN marketand support their micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises.
The two sides also discussed measures to promotethe exchange of culture, tourism and education.
To mark 2017 as the year of ASEAN-RoK culturalcooperation, the RoK side is speeding up the construction of the ASEAN CultureHouse in Busan city, which is expected to be completed in September.
At the same time, the RoK will increase exchangeprogrammes with ASEAN youths and grant more scholarships to the bloc’s member countries.
The two sides compared notes on hot securityzones and non-traditional challenges. Regarding the Korean peninsula situation,the ASEAN nations reiterated the viewpoints shared by ASEAN ministers at astatement issued on April 28, 2017.
Expressing their concerns over the recentescalating tensions, the countries called on parties concerned to seriouslyimplement resolutions of the UN Security Council and seek peaceful measuresthrough dialogue and cooperation towards the denuclearisation of the Koreanpeninsula.
Talking about the East Sea issue, the RoK sideshowed its support for ASEAN’s stance and stressed the need to maintain peace,stability, security, maritime and aviation safety and freedom in the sea,respect international law, address disputes peacefully, conduct nomilitarisation and soon reach a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
The two sides pledged to continue cooperation incoping with terrorism, trans-national crimes, human and drug trafficking, anddisease prevention. The RoK side said it will continue helping the ASEAN CoordinatingCentre for Humanitarian Assistance (AHA) enhance its capacity in carrying outprojects.
Speaking at the dialogue, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung, head ofASEAN SOM Vietnam, affirmed that Vietnam and other ASEAN nations wish to promotemulti-faceted cooperation with the RoK, which is not only a strategic partnerof the bloc but also one of the strong member economies of the Asia-PacificEconomic Cooperation (APEC) and Group 20 (G20) with an important role and voicein regional and global issues.
The RoK and ASEAN hold enough conditions to become bridges for closerconnections between the Northeast and Southeast Asian regions, he said.
In addition to road and seaway connections, the Deputy FM suggested the twosides soon complete the ASEAN-Korea Air Transport Agreement to furtherfacilitate their investment, tourism and people-to-people exchange activities.
Vietnam is willing to coordinate with the RoK side in organising forums andevents to promote ASEAN-RoK cooperation and will contribute its outstandingcultural products for display at the ASEAN Cultural House in the RoK, Dungnoted.
According to him, as ASEAN and the RoK share a common goal of maintaining peaceand stability in East Asia, they should join hands to foster a rule-basedregional order, and support the central role and efforts of ASEAN in dealingwith regional security challenges.
Regarding the East Sea issue, the Vietnamese official reiterated Vietnam’sstance and wished other countries, including the RoK, to continue backing thepeaceful settlement of disputes in respect for international law, including the1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, legal and diplomatic processes, aswell as the serious implementation of the Declaration of Conduct of Parties inthe East Sea (DOC) and the practical building of a Code of Conduct in the EastSea (COC).
About non-traditional security challenges, besides maritime security, cybersecurity and transnational crimes, Dung stressed the need for collaboration inensuring water, energy and food security.
He applauded the RoK’s support for countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-regionto strengthen the sustainable management and use of the Mekong River waterresources.-VNA
VNA
