BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei ― President Park Geun-hye will host a “special” summit with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations next year in celebration of 25 years of their diplomatic ties, Seoul officials said Monday.
The decision was made at a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers on Sunday. The 10-nation bloc normally hosts a summit with Korea every year.
“The event will provide a chance to expand and deepen the Korea-ASEAN relations and strengthen political and security cooperation in particular,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Along with China and Japan, Korea is one of the group’s major partners and participants in ASEAN-led multinational gatherings including the ASEAN Plus Three, East Asia Summit, Asia-Europe Meeting and ASEAN Regional Forum. Seoul opened the ASEAN-Korean Center in 2009 and a mission to ASEAN in Jakarta last October.
The two sides forged a “sectoral” dialogue partnership in 1989 and continued to advance the bilateral ties, forging a strategic partnership in 2010.
ASEAN is Seoul’s second-biggest trade partner after China, with two-way shipment volume surpassing $130 billion last year. Korean builders secured $11 billion worth of contracts in the region in 2012 alone.
North Korea, which has diplomatic relations with all 10 member nations, also participates in the ASEAN Regional Forum.
