By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
The Lee Myung-bak government will push to expand ties with nations all over Asia and not just Northeast Asian countries, a top official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Thursday.
At a forum in Seoul on South Korea's changing role in Southeast Asia titled ``Expanding Influence and Relations,'' First Vice Foreign Minister Kwon Jong-rak said the government will push for establishing an ``energy silk road'' through Asian nations.
``We will pursue diverse regional cooperation beyond the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia,'' Kwon said.
The two-day Asia Foundation public policy forum was co-hosted by the Institute of East and West Studies, Yonsei University in Seoul, and sponsored by the Korea Foundation & Pacific Century Institute.
Kwon said the Lee administration would emphasize diplomacy with Asian nations under a ``new Asia cooperation diplomacy'' scheme.
Through the scheme, South Korea will expand ``strategic partnerships'' with Asian nations; make efforts to build an East Asia cooperation framework; and build a multilateral security framework among Northeast Asian countries, Kwon said.
``South Korea will make efforts to strengthen tripartite security cooperation with the United States and Japan, while expanding dialogue and cooperation with Japan, China, Russia, India and Australia,'' he said.
The ministry also plans to open a ``Korea-ASEAN'' center by the end of the year to help boost ties with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Surin Pitsuwan, secretary general of ASEAN, delivered a keynote speech. From 1997 to 2001, he served as Thai minister of foreign affairs.
In 2001, he was appointed as a member of the Commission on Human Security of the United Nations and an advisor to the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty.