S. Korean president calls for increased trade, cooperation with ASEAN

By Byun Duk-kun
JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak
announced an ambitious plan to increase his country's trade with Southeast Asian
countries to over US$150 billion in the next six years as he met with the
region's leaders in a special summit here.

Lee said his country will also double its official development assistance to the
10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to $400
million by 2015. The announcement came shortly after the Seoul government said it
will increase loans from its economic development cooperation fund to ASEAN
countries to $1.9 trillion won ($1.52 billion) by 2012.
"I believe expanding our trade is critical to overcoming the global economic
crisis. We plan to provide tailor-made assistance that will fit the unique needs
of each country to help share our development experience with ASEAN countries,"
Lee said in his opening remarks at the start of the two-day summit.
Trade between Korea and ASEAN countries jumped over 11 times from little over $8
billion in 1989 when the sides established a dialogue partnership to over $90
billion last year.
The president also said his country will invite 7,000 students and workers from
ASEAN countries by 2015 for vocational training while sending 10,000 volunteers
to the countries to share its advanced technology in the information and
telecommunications sector.
Lee said such measures will prepare the countries for an "era of Asia" in which
the region will take center stage in the world economy.
"Regional cooperation in Asia is increasingly becoming a must-have necessity due
to the effects of globalization. I believe the Korea-ASEAN relationship, too, has
reached a point where it must take a new leap forward to meet the calls of our
times," he said.
The South Korean leader also called for joint efforts to counter North Korea's
provocative actions, calling Pyongyang's recent nuclear test a threat to peace
and stability in East Asia and the world.
"We will continue to work to have North Korea observe U.N. Security Council
resolutions and our diplomatic efforts for its immediate return to the six-party
talks," Lee said, referring to the multilateral denuclearization negotiations
that involve the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, China and Russia.
North Korea is currently prohibited from engaging in any nuclear-related or
missile activity under a U.N. Security Council resolution adopted shortly after
its first nuclear test in October 2006. The Security Council is discussing
additional sanctions on Pyongyang as punishment for its second nuclear detonation
test that took place last Monday.
Lee and his ASEAN counterparts are expected to issue a joint statement Tuesday
condemning the North's latest nuclear test and calling for swift and stern action
by the U.N. to punish the communist nation, according to Lee Dong-kwan, spokesman
for South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.
"I thank every leader of the countries here for paying special attention to the
issue and I ask you to continue supporting our efforts to denuclearize North
Korea," President Lee said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)