SINGAPORE -- President Moon Jae-in held a summit with Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah in Singapore on Wednesday and discussed ways to bolster bilateral relations between Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, officials said.

During the meeting held on the sidelines of annual ASEAN-related summits, Moon congratulated Brunei on assuming ASEAN's dialogue coordinatorship and asked for support for South Korea's New Southern Policy aimed at strengthening relations with Southeast Asian nations.

Brunei took over the coordinatorship in August for a three-year term.

Moon said that Brunei has key roles to play as ASEAN's dialogue coordinator in order for South Korea to successfully host special summits with ASEAN nations next year. 

Sultan Bolkiah said that he is pleased that Brunei has assumed the dialogue coordinatorship and the country will make active efforts to make next year's special summits successful and to further develop relations between Korea and ASEAN, according to officials.

During the meeting, Moon also briefed Brunei's sultan on South Korea's efforts to realize denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and asked for Brunei's continued support for such efforts.

Sultan Bolkiah noted that South Korea's efforts to bring permanent peace on the peninsula are making good progress and promised to continue to support Seoul's peace efforts, officials said.

The two leaders also agreed to work together to continue to move cooperation forward not only in the infrastructure and construction sectors, but also in the information and communications technology area, officials said. (Yonhap)