South Korea's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha engages in bilateral talks with counterparts from ASEAN
  • 6 years ago
There are still a few more days to go until the Asean Regional Forum kicks off.
But already, Seoul's top diplomat went straight to work as soon as she landed in Singapore.
Lee Ji-won shares with us what was discussed during the first few bilateral talks.
A day after her arrival in Singapore, South Korea's foreign minister Kang Kyung-wha met Wednesday with her counterparts from Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos and three other ASEAN member states on the sidelines of the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

Part of the agenda was, of course, the latest developments on the Korean Peninsula. As regional neighbors, the Southeast Asian nations were keen to know how the situation is unfolding and showed their support for the recent efforts for peace in the region.

"This is not going to be easy, this is a change of historical direction on the Koran Peninsula, but there is the commitment of top leaders to this and we are very much committeed to making sure that we deliever on a non-nuclear Koran Peninsula, that is wholly at peace, and we will certainly count on your continuing support."

Wednesday's bilateral talks also sought to further deepen ties between the Southeast Asia and Seoul.
Highlighting peace, prosperity and people, the core aspects of the Moon administration's New Southern Policy, Minister Kang said South Korea and its partners in the region have been making rapid progress... and her counterparts agreed to further expand that cooperation.

Other timely topics were also brought up.
In her sit-down with Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith ( ) of Laos, Minister Kang expressed deep condolences for the victims of the recent dam collapse, which left many dead and thousands displaced.
Foreign Minister Kommasith thanked Minister Kang for the aid and the medical team South Korea sent.

Minister Kang's bilateral meetings will likely continue on Thursday -- one with her Japanese counterpart Taro Kono in the afternoon, and possibly with China as well.

But details about talks with Seoul's key partners have not yet been revealed.
The U.S. Department of State announced that Secretary Mike Pompeo will be in Singapore from August 3rd after he visits Malaysia.
North Korea's advance team is believed to have touched down in the city-state on Wednesday, and Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho is expected to arrive early Friday morning.

"But the diplomats from Pyongyang and Washington are only expected to stay in Singapore for about two days, so whether or not there'll be a two-way or three-way talk between them and Minister Kang remains to be seen.
Lee Ji-won, Arirang News, Singapore."
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