Korea-ASEAN summit opens with cooperation, security topping agenda

(ATTN: UPDATES with opening remarks from prime ministers of Thailand, Malaysia in
paras 7-9)
By Byun Duk-kun
JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak
and leaders of 10 countries that form the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) met here Monday for a special summit aimed at boosting cooperation
between the countries and forming a united front on global issues, such as the
economic crisis.

The leaders will also adopt a joint statement that condemns North Korea's second
nuclear test that took place last Monday and call for swift and stern actions by
the international community to punish the communist nation, according to Lee
Dong-kwan, a spokesman for the South Korean presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.
The two-day summit marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of dialogue
partnership between the sides. The leaders are expected to call for increased
efforts to bring the countries closer in a separate document to be issued at the
end of their two-day talks here.
"People often say the 21st century will be an era of Asia. Cooperation in the
region is fast becoming a must amid the effects of globalization, and I believe
the Korea-ASEAN relationship has also come to a point where it must take another
leap forward," the South Korean president said in a keynote speech marking the
start of the special summit.
Lee earlier called for efforts to form a regional economic bloc, saying the
ongoing global crisis requires the concerted efforts of all the participating
countries.
Abhisit Vejjajiva, prime minister of Thailand who is serving as the rotating
president of ASEAN, agreed on the need to form an economic alliance between the
countries, saying, "No country can take on these challenges alone."
"The key challenge for us now is how to ensure that flows of investment and trade
between Korea and ASEAN will not be affected by the global economic crisis," he
said in the first plenary session of the two-day summit.
Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak noted the Korea-ASEAN relationship has
contributed "substantially" to the development and prosperity of the countries
since their dialogue partnership was established.
"We must develop ASEAN-ROK relations to a higher, strategic partnership to meet
our current and future challenges," he said, referring to South Korea by its
official name, the Republic of Korea.
This week's summit comes as part of Seoul's efforts to improve its relations with
the ASEAN countries under a diplomatic campaign called the "New Asia Initiative,"
through which Korea will help establish a network of economic and diplomatic ties
among Asian nations and promote their mutual interests in the international
community.
South Korea and ASEAN will sign an investment treaty at the end of the two-day
summit, which South Korean officials say will mark the start of "complete, full
free trade" between the sides. Seoul and ASEAN have already signed and enacted
free trade deals on goods and services.
The leaders are also expected to focus on the North Korean issue during their
two-day summit here as Pyongyang claims to have conducted its second nuclear
detonation test last Monday.
Abhisit earlier said the envisioned statement on North Korea will "reaffirm our
stance and desire for peace and stability in the region."
The start of the Jeju meeting followed a series of bilateral talks between the
South Korean president and his ASEAN counterparts, in which Lee sought to win
support for Seoul's efforts to contain its communist neighbor and improve
relations with the countries.
"I believe the future of Korea-ASEAN relations lies in continuous expansion and
strengthening of their cooperation and friendship as good neighbors and partners
for prosperity," President Lee told the ASEAN leaders at the opening of the
summit.
Trade between Korea and ASEAN nations has jumped over 11 times since they became
dialogue partners in 1989, from US$8.2 billion to over $90 billion last year.
Lee said his country will double its official development aid to ASEAN countries
to $400 million by 2015.
Seoul earlier said it will increase its development loans from the economic
development cooperation fund to ASEAN countries to 1.9 trillion won ($1.52
billion) by 2012.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)