ASEAN members and Korea seek ways to strengthen ties
Foreign Affairs Minister Kang Kyung-wha, fourth from right, ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh, fifth from right, and ASEAN-Korea Centre Secretary General Kim Young-sun, sixth from right wave during a conference at Lotte Hotel in central Seoul, Wednesday. / Courtesy of ASEAN-Korea Centre
Partnership gains momentum amid growing uncertainties
By You Soo-sun
An international conference commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the ASEAN-ROK Cultural Exchange Year took place at the Lotte Hotel in central Seoul, Wednesday.
Under the theme of “Partnering for Tomorrow,” government representatives and experts from Korea and ASEAN member countries discussed ways to strengthen their cooperation.
The event was organized by the ASEAN-Korea Centre, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. ASEAN-Korea Centre Secretary General Kim Young-sun explained that although the two have come a long way since their dialogue was first established in 1989, this partnership is at a critical juncture to “navigate through growing uncertainties and develop a mutually beneficial partnership.”
The event was composed of two sessions. The first covered issues regarding political, security and economic aspects of the relationship; the second focused on the significance of socio-cultural cooperation in building a solid and long-lasting partnership.
At the opening ceremony, ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh made a congratulatory remark and Korean and Philippine foreign affairs government officials delivered keynote speeches.
Minh expressed gratitude to Korea for its support in “narrowing the development gap and enhancing regional connectivity” as well as “addressing global challenges such as climate change and natural disasters through sharing of best practices and experiences.”
Korea’s Foreign Affairs Minister Kang Kyung-wha appraised ASEAN member countries’ roles in “deterring large disputes in the region” and thereby “nurturing the habit of dialogue and cooperation.” Kang also underscored their significance for Korea as the second largest trading partner and investment destination and a key partner for achieving peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula amid threats posed by the North Korean nuclear and missile programs.
Kang also emphasized the “people-to-people ties” between the two as exchanges have grown in volume to 8 million and the population of ASEAN residents in Korea to half a million. She said the government will seek more active exchanges that may bring about tangible benefits for the public and cited the launch of the ASEAN Culture House in Busan as marking a good start.
The Philippine’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alan Peter S. Cayetano stressed the significance of the ASEAN-Korea partnership, highlighting the “long history” of the two, and called upon the need for “constant communication, interaction, patience and hard work.”