Themed “Towards an ASEAN-RoK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace, Security and Prosperity”, the event brought together representatives from Government agencies, scholars and researchers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the RoK.
In his remarks, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet stressed in the rapidly changing and complex world situation, ASEAN and the RoK are bound together by a shared vision - which is one of a peaceful, secure and prosperous region based on international law, and an open, inclusive and transparent regional structure with ASEAN at the centre.
This shared vision has continuously deepened the ASEAN-RoK relations, and they have become reliable and important partners for each other.
Deputy Minister Viet remarked that ASEAN appreciates the RoK's strong and consistent support for ASEAN's centrality and its contributions to ASEAN-led mechanisms such as ASEAN 3 (ASEAN with China, Japan, the RoK), East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM ).
"We are pleased to see both sides continue their efforts to expand and bolster the ASEAN-RoK strategic partnership. I believe that with the impetus of the growth in ASEAN-RoK relations in the past decades, the shared vision and strong connectivity between RoK and ASEAN member countries, including Vietnam, ASEAN and the RoK will succeed in elevating our partnership and dialogue to a higher level," Viet noted.
First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Chang Ho-jin, addressing the forum, said that over the past three decades, significant achievements have been made in ASEAN-RoK relations.
Chang Ho-jin affirmed that the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Initiative (KASI), announced by the RoK last year, demonstrates the RoK's respect and strong commitment to supporting ASEAN's central role as well as the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
The RoK appreciates ASEAN's welcoming and supportive attitude towards KASI.
The Korean diplomat underscored that the RoK's top priority is to elevate the relationship with ASEAN to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
