In this file photo, local activists and Myanmar nationals living in South Korea stage a rally in southern Seoul urging the Myanmar military to stop bloody crackdowns on its civilians on April 18, 2021. (Yonhap)
South Korea on Monday welcomed the joint statement by Southeast Asian leaders that called for an end to violence in Myanmar and pursuit of a peaceful solution.
Nine of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations issued the statement under the name of its secretary general after a summit in Indonesia, demanding its member Myanmar immediately end civilian killings that began after its military seized power in a coup in early February.
The statement came as Myanmar's military leader Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing apparently agreed that violence must stop and said he will find a solution. The general was among those who attended the two-day face-to-face summit in Jakarta over the weekend.
The statement also called for ASEAN members to provide humanitarian aid to Myanmar.
"Our government views that the agreements will lay the grounds for the restoration of democracy, stability and peace in Myanmar and we expect a faithful and continued implementation of the agreements," South Korea's foreign ministry spokesperson Choi Young-sam said in a commentary.
"We, in particular, call for an immediate end to the violent crackdown against demonstrators by using weapons of destruction and hope that a special ASEAN envoy can visit the country at an early date for a constructive dialogue that will embrace all concerned parties," the commentary read.
The South Korean government also again urges the immediate release of political detainees, including Aung San Suu Kyi, it said.
The ASEAN bloc consists of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. (Yonhap)
