▲ South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin (R) shakes hands with ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn before their talks at the foreign ministry in Seoul on June 16, 2023. (Yonhap)

foreign minister-ASEAN

S. Korean FM proposes forging comprehensive strategic partnership with ASEAN

SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign minister on Friday proposed establishing a "comprehensive strategic partnership" with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) next year during his talks with the regional bloc's secretary general, his office said.

Foreign Minister Park Jin and ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn met in Seoul, as South Korea has steadily focused on strengthening relations with the 10-member ASEAN, the country's crucial partner for diplomatic and economic cooperation.

Park made the proposal to create a new turning point for the development of bilateral ties, as next year marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of a dialogue partnership between the two sides.

In response, Kao expressed expectations that cooperation between the regional bloc and South Korea, its key dialogue partner, will develop further, and called for close cooperation in the process of creating the strategic partnership, according to the ministry.

The ASEAN secretary general arrived in Seoul on Thursday for a four-day visit on his first trip here since taking office in January.

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