1. The 26th
ASEAN-ROK Dialogue, an annual high-level consultative meeting between the ROK
and ASEAN Member States, was held in Seoul, the ROK, on July 1. The two sides
discussed ways to strengthen ASEAN-ROK relations and shared views on regional
and international issues.
о Deputy Minister
for Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Yeo Seung-bae
co-chaired the meeting with Vu Ho, Acting Leader of ASEAN Senior Officials’
Meeting (SOM) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam. The meeting was
attended by vice/deputy ministers (SOM leaders) from the ten ASEAN Member
States and the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for Political-Security
Community.
2. Deputy Minister
Yeo explained that the ROK's new government laid out its initiative for a
global pivotal state that assumes a greater role in achieving freedom, peace
and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and was in the process of formulating
its own Indo-Pacific strategy. He also emphasized that the ROK would further
bolster mutually beneficial cooperation with ASEAN Member States, who are at
the center of the Indo-Pacific, for greater solidarity.
о Deputy Minister
Yeo highlighted the need for the ROK and ASEAN Member States to strengthen
cooperation in economic security affairs, such as in stabilizing the supply
chains, amid growing uncertainties in the global economy. In particular, he
looked forward to seeing close cooperation between the ROK and ASEAN Member
States in developing the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) into a
meaningful platform that would drive economic growth in the region.
о Deputy Minister
Yeo shared with the participants the recent developments in the ROK
government’s COVID-19-related measures and hoped for close cooperation between
the ROK and ASEAN Member States for the swift recovery of people-to-people
exchanges between the two regions.
о He also mentioned
that the ROK government would provide support for the inclusive development of
ASEAN by working more closely with sub-regional cooperation mechanisms such as
Mekong-ROK cooperation and BIMP-EAGA-ROK cooperation and that it would
strengthen future-oriented cooperation with ASEAN in areas such as public
health, digital transformation, and climate response.
3. The ASEAN
participants appreciated the ROK’s hosting of the dialogue, the first
face-to-face SOM hosted by an ASEAN Dialogue Partner after the outbreak of the
pandemic. They mentioned that the in-person meeting provided them with a good
opportunity to see for themselves the ROK government’s determination to upgrade
its partnership with ASEAN.
о The ASEAN side
welcomed the ROK government’s commitment to further contribute to the peace and
prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region and expressed their hope that the
ROK-ASEAN partnership would be further expanded and deepened under the ROK’s
new government.
4. The participants
exchanged views on regional and international issues, including the situations
on the Korean Peninsula and in Myanmar and Ukraine as well as South China Sea
issues.
о The Korean side,
in particular, pointed out that the DPRK’s recent numerous missile test
launches, which included ICBM launches, were a clear violation of multiple UN
Security Council resolutions and strongly condemned the DPRK for such
provocations. The Korean side also called on ASEAN to take a firm and united
stance against the DPRK’s continued provocations, including a possible 7th
nuclear test.
- The Korean side
also mentioned that the ROK government would keep the door open for dialogue
and diplomacy for a peaceful resolution of the DPRK nuclear issue.
о The ASEAN
participants expressed serious concern that the DPRK’s ICBM testing and
ballistic missile launches pose a threat to the peace and stability of the
region. They expressed their willingness to play a constructive role in
de-escalating tension by various means, including the ASEAN Regional Forum and
other ASEAN-led mechanisms.
5. Deputy Minister
Yeo asked for the support of ASEAN Member States regarding the ROK’s bid to
host the World Expo 2030 in Busan.
6. Building on the
in-depth discussion they had through the Dialogue about the future direction of
ASEAN-ROK cooperation, the participants agreed to closely work together for the
success of the upcoming ASEAN-related Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in August and
the Summit in November.