The Prime Minister attended the 26th ASEAN-Korea Summit.

Politburo member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends the ASEAN-Korea Summit. Photo: VGP

On October 27, during the second day of the 47th ASEAN Summit and related meetings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Politburo member and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, along with other ASEAN leaders and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, attended the 26th ASEAN-Korea Summit.

South Korea is currently ASEAN's fifth-largest trading partner and seventh-largest FDI investor, with bilateral trade reaching US$208.2 billion in 2024 and FDI from South Korea into ASEAN reaching US$7.6 billion.

Countries appreciate South Korea's active and comprehensive participation in ASEAN's specialized cooperation mechanisms. Specific cooperation initiatives such as the ASEAN-Korea Digital Academy and the ASEAN-Korea Digital Innovation Initiative (KADIF) have helped enhance digital capabilities and nurture digital talents in ASEAN.

Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in strategic areas such as digital transformation, innovation, clean energy, strategic minerals, sustainable environment, maritime security, combating transnational crime, and cybersecurity.

President Lee Jae Myung affirmed that South Korea values and supports ASEAN's central role, proposing ASEAN-Korea cooperation based on three pillars: "Contributing to Dreams and Hopes; A Platform for Growth and Innovation; and Partnership for Peace and Stability."

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung delivers a speech. Photo: VGP

At the same time, South Korea will continue to support ASEAN in implementing the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Digital Economy, the ASEAN Power Grid, narrowing the development gap, and strengthening regional connectivity.

At the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh outlined three major directions to promote the ASEAN-Korea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the coming period.

Firstly, prioritize strengthening economic, trade, and investment linkages in a green, digital, circular, and sustainable direction; initiate negotiations to upgrade the AKFTA, and expand cooperation into new areas such as the green economy, digital economy, artificial intelligence, and supply chains.

The Prime Minister also requested that South Korea strengthen technology transfer, help train high-quality human resources, connect technology businesses, develop AI in renewable energy, smart infrastructure, and green agriculture; support ASEAN businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, to participate in supply chains; and cooperate in sub-regional development, including the Mekong-Korea cooperation mechanism.

Secondly, we will deepen cooperation in culture, education, and people-to-people exchanges, develop tourism; promote the heritage economy, creative industries, cultural connectivity, and develop the cultural and entertainment industries (film, photography, music); expand talent training programs and vocational education; and create more favorable conditions for ASEAN citizens to study and work in South Korea.

Thirdly, the Prime Minister emphasized that ASEAN and South Korea need to strengthen their contributions to peace, security, stability, and prosperity in the region; ASEAN and South Korea need to jointly uphold their interests and responsibilities in building the South China Sea into a sea of peace, cooperation, and sustainable development.

The Prime Minister affirmed that Vietnam supports the efforts of the South Korean government to resume inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation, is ready to actively participate in this process to build a peaceful, stable, and prosperous environment on the Korean Peninsula, and supports the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

On this occasion, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also wished President Lee Jae Myung and South Korea success in their role as APEC Chair in 2025 in the coming days.

Laodong.vn

Source: https://laodong.vn/thoi-su/thu-tuong-du-hoi-nghi-cap-cao-asean-han-quoc-lan-thu-26-1598860.ldo