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| Scenes from the Korea-Mekong summit Yonhap |
By Do Je-hae
BUSAN ― The inaugural Korea-Mekong Summit took place in Busan, Wednesday, on the heels of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit, to explore ways to enhance cooperation between Korea and five countries that border the Mekong River.
The Mekong-Han River Declaration was announced after the meeting between President Moon Jae-in and Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith, Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn.
"Today, which will be remembered as the first year of Korea-Mekong cooperation, we have laid the groundwork for a dramatic development in Korea-Mekong relations," President Moon said at the summit. "The Mekong-Han River Declaration, adopted following the summit, will serve as a milestone toward a people-centered partnership for peace and prosperity beyond economic cooperation."
Moon said Korea's own experience in its national development can serve as a benchmark to achieve a "Miracle on the Mekong." "Korea, which has developed a win-win and co-prosperity relationship with ASEAN while preparing for the Asia-Pacific era, has now become a special friend of Mekong countries. Trade between Korea and Mekong-based countries increased 2.4 times over eight years to $84.5 billion last year, and investment increased 1.7 times to $3.8 billion," he noted.
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| Scenes from the Korea-Mekong summit Yonhap |
The President wrapped up the two-day ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit held in Busan, where he held a series of bilateral meetings with heads of states. The summit adopted a resolution that outlined a roadmap for boosting ties in various areas with a focus on expanding free trade networks in the region, and boosting cultural and tourism exchanges. He returned to Seoul for a bilateral meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Phuc.
The latter summit particularly noted the contribution of Moon's New Southern Policy, designed to strengthen ties with the ASEAN member states. The Mekong-Han River Declaration acknowledged Korea's "New Southern Policy and its commitment to strengthening and deepening the partnership with the Mekong countries, which can be developed in synergy with other existing regional cooperation initiatives and mechanisms based on the principles of openness, inclusiveness, transparency and respect for international law and norms."
"We will push for cooperation more strongly over the next 30 years based on the ASEAN countries' trust in the New Southern Policy," said Joo Hyung-chul, a presidential economic aide and chairman of a presidential committee for the New Southern Policy, said during a briefing. "We will establish the New Southern Policy 2.0 by collecting opinions from ASEAN countries' governments, businesses, experts and citizens, and implement it starting 2021."
This was the first time for the Korea-Mekong event to be held at the heads-of-state level after being held at the ministerial-level since 2011. The elevation to the summit level shows the importance Seoul places on boosting mutually beneficial partnerships with countries along the Mekong River, which have gained increasing relevance to Korea's economic sector due to its huge growth potential. The nations have been recording high growth of more than 6 percent annually despite the global downturn. "The Mekong cooperation, which began in the 1980s with the wind of change, is changing life day by day," Moon said.
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| Scenes from the Korea-Mekong summit Yonhap |
The Korea-Mekong Declaration" contains various means of cooperation for common objectives under themes such as "people for an inclusive society," "prosperity by sharing experience," "peace for sustainable development," as well as ways to cope with regional and global issues.
The declaration welcomed "the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-ROK Dialogue Relations, the cooperation that has been expanded and deepened in various areas while promoting peace and stability and facilitating economic development in the region, thus mutually reinforcing the Mekong-ROK cooperation."
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| Scenes from the Korea-Mekong summit Yonhap |
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