Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attends the ASEAN-Korea Summit

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that ASEAN and the Republic of Korea need to strengthen coordination, respond promptly and effectively to challenges, and create a favorable environment for sustainable and inclusive development.

According to a special correspondent of the Vietnam News Agency, within the framework of the second working day of the 47th ASEAN Summit and related Summits in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the morning of October 27, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh , leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and President of the Republic of Korea Lee Jae Myung attended the 26th ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit.

At the conference, leaders assessed that ASEAN-Korea relations continue to develop dynamically after being upgraded to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2024. Korea is currently ASEAN's fifth largest trading partner and seventh largest foreign direct investor (FDI), with two-way trade turnover in 2024 reaching 208.2 billion USD and FDI from Korea to ASEAN reaching 7.6 billion USD.

Countries assessed that Korea has actively and comprehensively participated in ASEAN's specialized cooperation mechanisms, through the Action Plan 2021-2025 with an implementation rate of 95% of the action lines. Specific cooperation initiatives such as the ASEAN-Korea Digital Academy and the ASEAN-Korea Digital Innovation Facility (KADIF) have helped enhance digital capacity, incubate and nurture digital talents in ASEAN.

Faced with rapid and complex changes in the world and regional situation, the leaders affirmed to strengthen relations, consolidate trust and increase cooperation for development and the interests of people in the two regions.

ASEAN and the Republic of Korea will immediately begin implementing the Action Plan for the 2026-2030 period, and launch discussions on upgrading the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA) in 2026, which will add high-quality cooperation areas such as green economy , digital economy, and supply chain linkages.

At the same time, the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in strategic areas such as digital transformation, innovation, clean energy, strategic minerals, sustainable environment, maritime security, transnational crime prevention, and cyber security.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung speaks. (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)

In his speech, President Lee Jae Myung affirmed that Korea values ​​and supports ASEAN's central role, supports the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), and links Korea's future vision with ASEAN's Vision for a resilient, innovative, dynamic, and people-centered ASEAN Community.

Accordingly, President Lee Jae Myung proposed ASEAN-Korea cooperation on three pillars: “Contributing to Dreams and Hopes; Springboard for Growth and Innovation; Partnership for Peace and Stability.” At the same time, Korea will continue to support ASEAN in implementing the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement, the ASEAN Power Grid, narrowing the development gap and enhancing regional connectivity.

At the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh shared his assessment that ASEAN-Korea relations have entered a new, more strategic and comprehensive phase; emphasizing that the two sides need to strengthen coordination, promptly and effectively respond to challenges, create a favorable environment for sustainable and inclusive development, benefiting both sides and making positive and effective contributions to peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

In that spirit, the Prime Minister outlined three major orientations to promote the ASEAN-Korea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the coming time, including:
Firstly, prioritize promoting economic, trade and investment linkages in a green, digital, circular and sustainable direction; initiate negotiations to upgrade the AKFTA, and expand cooperation to new areas such as green economy, digital economy, artificial intelligence and supply chains.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also asked Korea to increase technology transfer, help train high-quality human resources, connect technology enterprises, develop artificial intelligence (AI) in renewable energy, smart infrastructure, and green agriculture; support ASEAN enterprises, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, to participate in the supply chain; and cooperate in sub-regional development, including the Mekong-Korea cooperation mechanism.

Second, deepen cultural cooperation, education and people-to-people exchange, develop tourism; promote heritage economy, creative industry, cultural connection, develop cultural industry, entertainment industry (film, photo, music); expand talent training programs, vocational education; create more favorable conditions for ASEAN citizens to study and work in Korea.

Third, the Prime Minister emphasized that ASEAN and the Republic of Korea need to increase their contributions to peace, security, stability and prosperity in the region; ASEAN and the Republic of Korea need to jointly promote interests and responsibilities in building the East Sea into a sea of ​​peace, cooperation and sustainable development.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that Vietnam supports the efforts of the 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 Chair of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2025 Summit in the coming days./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/thu-tuong-pham-minh-chinh-du-hoi-nghi-cap-cao-asean-han-quoc-post1073002.vnp