BUSAN – The ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit wrapped up Tuesday with the leaders agreeing to expand economic, political and social cooperation among the countries.  “Advancement of the ASEAN is Korea’s advancement. Cooperating over the past 30 years through friendship and trust, we have shown ‘potential of Asia,’ overcoming financial and foreign exchange crises,” President Moon Jae-in said ahead of announcing the joint press statement. “Now, we have t

Busan -- As the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit got underway in Busan, a conference on multicultural families in South Korea was held Tuesday. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Korean Institute for Healthy Family co-hosted the 2019 Multicultural Families Network Conference at the Busan Tourism Organization Arpina on Tuesday.More than 100 people attended the event to share their opinions on Korea’s multiculturalism policies, including multicultural families and experts.&ldqu

Representatives from eight of the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations faced off at the ASEAN-KOREA: Korea Food Contest Final, showing off dishes that reflect Korean culture and identity with a common ingredient: rice.The final round of the multinational cooking contest was held Tuesday at the Korean Cuisine Cultural Center in Jung-gu, central Seoul. The contestants, all nonprofessional cooks, came from Myanmar, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos a

BUSAN -- Leaders of South Korea and ASEAN countries have joined hands to foster the growth of startups at an event held Tuesday on the sidelines of the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit. Hosted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the ASEAN-ROK Startup Summit took place in Busan to enhance cooperation among startups of Korea and ASEAN. The event was attended by representatives from 40 ASEAN startups participating in a Korean incubation program.President Moon Jae-in said in a speech, “Korea w

The first Mekong-Korea Summit will kick off Wednesday in Busan following the conclusion of the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit as part of Seoul’s drive to diversify diplomatic and economic channels, reducing reliance on traditional partners.Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith said the Mekong-Korea summit will contribute to advancing the living standards of countries in the Mekong region. “This (Mekong-Korea summit) will be an opportunity to advance future cooperat

BUSAN -- South Korea and Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries discussed ways to enhance civic participation in policymaking and to foster innovation for public services Tuesday. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety hosted the Ministerial Roundtable on Public Service Innovation on the sidelines of the 2019 ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit in Busan. The ministers in charge of public service innovation in Korea and ASEAN member states gathered for the discussions under the theme

Experts on fermented food from Asia came together for a forum on Tuesday, amid growing recognition of the health and nutritional benefits of such food worldwide. Experts from Korea and four member states of ASEAN --Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia -- gathered at the aT Center in Seoul to introduce fermented food, exchanging knowledge and introducing the different cultural backgrounds of their cuisines.The ASEAN-Korea Food Fermentation and Culture Forum was held on the sidelines of the A

Less than a month before Hanoi assumes chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said forming a unified stance for the regional bloc on global issues is at the top of its agenda.Seeking to bring together ASEAN countries, Vietnam has set forth “Cohesive and Responsive” as the theme of its ASEAN chairmanship, effective Jan. 1, 2020.“ASEAN will unite under this theme and actively contribute to global peace and sustainabi

BUSAN -- An exhibition in Busan on the sidelines of the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit demonstrates how the governments of South Korea and the ASEAN member states are sharing their know-how in the area of public service.The “ASEAN-ROK Exhibition on Public Service Innovation” opened Monday at Bexco Exhibition Center 2 and continues through Wednesday. The event comprises a Korean pavilion, which demonstrates Korea’s innovative tech-based public service systems; and an ASEAN pavil

“Partnership for Peace, Prosperity for People”1. The ASEAN-Republic of Korea (ROK) Commemorative Summit was held on 26 November 2019 in Busan, the ROK. The Meeting was co-chaired by H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-cha (Ret.), Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, and H.E. Moon Jae-in, President of the ROK, and attended by Heads of State/Government of ASEAN Member States. The Secretary-General of ASEAN was also in attendance.2. We welcomed the significant progress of ASEAN-ROK relatio

BUSAN -- South Korea and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Tuesday adopted a vision statement stipulating that they will cooperate to build a “people-centered community of peace and prosperity.”The statement, titled “ASEAN-Republic of Korea Joint Vision Statement for Peace, Prosperity and Partnership,” was adopted at the first session of the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit in Busan. According to Cheong Wa Dae, the statement contains “the v

We, the Heads of State/Government of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Republic of Korea (ROK), gathered on 26 November 2019 in Busan, the ROK, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-ROK Dialogue Relations;Expressing satisfaction with the positive development of ASEAN-ROK relations over the past 30 years since the establishment of Dialogue Relations in 1989; Acknowledging the ROK’s New Southern Policy which aims to further strengthen and

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday called for stronger cooperation among South Korea and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, saying the 21st century is the “era of Asia.”Addressing the leaders of ASEAN attending the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit in Busan, Moon urged closer cooperation and solidarity among the 11 nations in facing global issues.  “We face new challenges such as protectionism and cross-border crime, (as well as the) fourth industrial revolu

BUSAN -- SK Telecom CEO Park Jung-ho said Monday he envisioned a Thai version of “Dae Jang Geum,” also known as “Jewel in the Palace,” a hit Korean drama that drew fans across Asia, as one idea for cultural content investment in Southeast Asia. When asked whether SKT planned to expand investment in Southeast Asia at a gala dinner hosted by President Moon Jae-in for ASEAN leaders on Monday evening, CEO Park said, “I think it would be entertaining to make new bus

BUSAN -- Industry Minister Sung Yun-mo said Monday that South Korea had created momentum for the liberalization of regional trade and cooperation through the 2019 ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit. Speaking to reporters at the summit venue in Busan, Sung said free trade and multilateralism were currently facing challenges, including a trade war between the US and China as well as Japan’s economic restrictions against Korea.  “Amid the ongoing trade friction, it is very meaningful t

BUSAN -- South Korea and the Philippines on Monday signed an agreement opening their markets for selected products and resolved to conclude free trade negotiations within next year.  The agreement was signed after President Moon Jae-in and President Rodrigo Duterte’s summit on the sidelines of the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit in Busan. Under the trade agreement, the Philippines will open its markets for selected automotive parts, pharmaceuticals and petrochemical products. In return

Park Young-sun is a veteran female politician who has frequently made the news with her boldness and initiatives. She now serves as minister of small and medium enterprises and startups. Since taking office in March, Minister Park has shown outstanding political power and careful attention to detail. But SMEs increasingly face challenges, such as the advent of the “fourth industrial revolution” and the increased minimum wage. The Korea Herald interviewed Minister Park about possible

BUSAN – South Korea and Indonesia on Monday issued a joint declaration announcing the successful end of the comprehensive economic partnership agreement negotiations. The declaration was adopted after President Moon Jae-in’s bilateral summit with President Joko Widodo of Indonesia held on the sidelines of the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit that kicked off in Busan. The Korea-Indonesia CEPA negotations were effectively wrapped up in October, and the two sides have since been working o

SK Telecom CEO Park Jung-ho on Monday proposed a technology-driven entertainment project for growth of Asia’s culture and economy at the Culture Innovation Summit during the ASEAN-Korea Summit in Busan. The head of Korea’s No. 1 telecom company suggested creating an association for the content industry across Asia, which he named “TEAM” to stand for “tech-driven entertainment for Asian movement.” “Korea is the third-largest content exporter after the Uni

BUSAN -- Forty-five South Korean companies exhibited and demonstrated their new technologies related to the “fourth industrial revolution,” from green cars to smart factory solutions, in a bid to create more business opportunities in the fast-growing ASEAN markets. Officials from the government, companies and their potential partners and clients gathered at Bexco for the ASEAN-ROK Innovation Showcase 2019, which was held on the sidelines of the 2019 ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit, in