Seoul, Bangkok agree to strengthen ties, cooperation on N. Korea

(ATTN: UPDATES with remarks from Lee, Abhisit, more details)
By Byun Duk-kun
JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, May 31 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak
and the prime minister of Thailand, Abhisit Vejjajiva, called on North Korea to
abandon its nuclear ambition Sunday as they agreed to significantly improve ties
between their two countries.
The leaders said Pyongyang's recent nuclear test was a challenge to international
efforts to halt the proliferation of nuclear weapons, also noting the test
seriously undermined peace and stability in the region and the world.
The communist North said it successfully conducted a second nuclear test last
Monday.
Lee and the Thai prime minister agreed to work together to discourage North Korea
from further taking any provocative actions and to have the communist nation
return to the six-nation talks aimed at getting rid of its nuclear programs at an
early date, a statement released by Seoul's presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae,
said.
North Korea is refusing to attend the multilateral denuclearization negotiations,
also involving South Korea, the United States, Japan, China and Russia, as the
U.N. Security Council is moving to punish the North for its latest nuclear test.
The Lee-Abhisit meeting was held on the sidelines of a business forum here that
will be followed by a special summit between Korea and the 10-member Association
of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
"I hope the meeting will be a chance for Korea and Thailand to expand not only
their economic cooperation, but cooperation in various other areas, including
culture, tourism and sports," Lee told the Thai prime minister.
"I wish the countries will work together especially in the international
community to deal with diplomatic issues and further cooperate on regional
security issues," Lee added.
The Thai prime minister sought to deepen bilateral economic ties, asking the
South Korean president to allow imports of Thai fruits, according to Cheong Wa
Dae spokesman Lee Dong-kwan.
President Lee said his country will consider the opening of the market "as soon
as quarantine issues are addressed," the spokesman told a press briefing.
"The two leaders noted the Korea-Thailand relationship has also developed
significantly over the years and agreed to deepen their bilateral ties in all
areas," the statement said.
Lee and Abhisit, who is currently serving in the rotating presidency of ASEAN,
also welcomed the special Korea-ASEAN summit that will mark the 20th anniversary
of the establishment of dialogue partnership between Korea and ASEAN.
The two-day Korea-ASEAN summit will be held here on the popular South Korean
resort island of Jeju from Monday.
It will be attended by leaders of all 10 ASEAN countries, which are Brunei,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, the Philippines,
Thailand and Vietnam.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)