By Kang Seung-woo
Korea and ASEAN need to upgrade their strategic partnership to keep expanding bilateral cooperation, President Park Geun-hye said.
"The ASEAN-Korea Plan of Action for 2011 to 2015, adopted after the bilateral relations were raised to a strategic partnership level in 2010, contributed to deepening cooperation in three spheres ― politics and security, the economy, and society and culture," Park said in a speech at the first session of the ASEAN-Korea Commemorative Summit in Busan.
"Now, I plan to adopt a new action plan that will cover 2016 to 2020."
Park said Korea will raise its contribution to a cooperation fund by $2 million to $7 million next year for a variety of projects and activities, including development cooperation, technology transfer and human resources development.
Korea has contributed about $67 million to the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund, established in 1990, following the establishment of a dialogue between the two sides in 1989, according to the presidential office.
As part of nurturing people of talent in ASEAN's science and technology sectors, Park also said she planned to invite 100 people in the science and engineering fields to train in Korea each year.
Park said Korea was ready to share its experience in developing poor farming communities in ASEAN countries with the "Saemaul Movement," or new village movement.
The initiative ― launched by Park's father, former president Park Chung-hee in the 1960s ― is credited with helping to modernize the then-rural Korean economy. Korea has since become an economic powerhouse in Asia, rising from the ashes after the 1950-53 Korean War.
"As Korea's Saemaul Movement is one of the most successful rural development projects, I expect that it will contribute to developing ASEAN," Park said.
She also proposed supporting an information technology infrastructure upgrade at the ASEAN secretariat.
To achieve the summit's vision to "Build Trust, Bring Happiness," Park said Korea would build economically balanced relations with ASEAN.
"I hope negotiations for further liberalization of the free trade agreement (FTA) between Korea and ASEAN will begin as soon as possible in order to reach $200 billion in trade by 2020," she said.
According to Cheong Wa Dae, Korea's trade with ASEAN has increased from $61 billion in 2006 to more than $130 billion in 2013, helping the region emerge as Korea's second-largest trading partner and third-largest investment destination.
Park also announced the launching of the Korea-ASEAN Business Council.
"The council will support small and medium-sized enterprises in both regions to break into each side's markets," she said.
Park also said the two sides would closely deal with regional security and politics, while promoting cultural exchanges.
Korea and ASEAN need to upgrade their strategic partnership to keep expanding bilateral cooperation, President Park Geun-hye said.
"The ASEAN-Korea Plan of Action for 2011 to 2015, adopted after the bilateral relations were raised to a strategic partnership level in 2010, contributed to deepening cooperation in three spheres ― politics and security, the economy, and society and culture," Park said in a speech at the first session of the ASEAN-Korea Commemorative Summit in Busan.
"Now, I plan to adopt a new action plan that will cover 2016 to 2020."
Park said Korea will raise its contribution to a cooperation fund by $2 million to $7 million next year for a variety of projects and activities, including development cooperation, technology transfer and human resources development.
Korea has contributed about $67 million to the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund, established in 1990, following the establishment of a dialogue between the two sides in 1989, according to the presidential office.
As part of nurturing people of talent in ASEAN's science and technology sectors, Park also said she planned to invite 100 people in the science and engineering fields to train in Korea each year.
Park said Korea was ready to share its experience in developing poor farming communities in ASEAN countries with the "Saemaul Movement," or new village movement.
The initiative ― launched by Park's father, former president Park Chung-hee in the 1960s ― is credited with helping to modernize the then-rural Korean economy. Korea has since become an economic powerhouse in Asia, rising from the ashes after the 1950-53 Korean War.
"As Korea's Saemaul Movement is one of the most successful rural development projects, I expect that it will contribute to developing ASEAN," Park said.
She also proposed supporting an information technology infrastructure upgrade at the ASEAN secretariat.
To achieve the summit's vision to "Build Trust, Bring Happiness," Park said Korea would build economically balanced relations with ASEAN.
"I hope negotiations for further liberalization of the free trade agreement (FTA) between Korea and ASEAN will begin as soon as possible in order to reach $200 billion in trade by 2020," she said.
According to Cheong Wa Dae, Korea's trade with ASEAN has increased from $61 billion in 2006 to more than $130 billion in 2013, helping the region emerge as Korea's second-largest trading partner and third-largest investment destination.
Park also announced the launching of the Korea-ASEAN Business Council.
"The council will support small and medium-sized enterprises in both regions to break into each side's markets," she said.
Park also said the two sides would closely deal with regional security and politics, while promoting cultural exchanges.
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