Jeong Eui-yong welcomes North Korea at ARF and urges implementation of 'inter-summit agreements'... "Let's cooperate in the mid-to-long term"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong urged North Korea to implement the denuclearization agreement between leaders at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Foreign Ministers' Meeting and proposed long-term cooperation.

At the ARF Foreign Ministers' Meeting held via video conference on the 6th, Minister Chung welcomed the attendance of An Kwang-il, North Korea's ambassador to Indonesia, emphasizing this point.

Minister Chung introduced the importance of diplomacy and dialogue discussed at the May South Korea-U.S. summit and explained that the South Korean government has been continuously making efforts to resume dialogue based on previous agreements among the South Korean, North Korean, and U.S. leaders.

He also recalled the agreement between the South and North Korean leaders to make the Korean Peninsula a foundation of peace free from nuclear weapons and nuclear threats, urging the fulfillment of these promises.

Regarding the recent restoration of inter-Korean communication lines, he evaluated it as a "positive development for restarting the Korean Peninsula peace process" and expressed hope that South and North Korea will cooperate in various fields in the mid to long term.

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At the meeting, ARF member countries discussed various regional security issues including the Korean Peninsula, Myanmar, and the South China Sea.

Concerning the situation on the Korean Peninsula, Minister Chung emphasized the South Korean government's efforts to achieve substantial progress toward complete denuclearization and permanent peace settlement. Many participating countries also mentioned the importance of dialogue for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the need to implement United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Minister Chung also called for the restoration of democracy in Myanmar and the prompt release of detainees, expressing support for ASEAN's constructive role in resolving the Myanmar situation. He emphasized the implementation of the five agreements derived from the ASEAN Summit in April: ▲immediate cessation of violence ▲initiation of constructive dialogue among all parties ▲mediation by the ASEAN chair's special envoy ▲provision of humanitarian aid ▲visits to Myanmar by the ASEAN special envoy and delegation.

Regarding the South China Sea, Minister Chung stated, "Maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea is a very important issue for all countries," emphasizing respect for international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the guarantee of freedom of navigation and overflight.

Minister Chung evaluated ARF's role in enhancing mutual understanding among countries on major regional security issues and called for further strengthening of cooperation at the ARF level. He also stressed the need for ARF-level cooperation to create a safe cyber environment against threats such as cyberattacks and expressed his commitment to contributing to the promotion of cybersecurity as a co-chair country of the upcoming ARF Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Security Meeting.

Additionally, Minister Chung mentioned the need for continued cooperation within ARF in the field of peacekeeping operations (PKO) and requested ARF member countries' interest and participation in the UN Peacekeeping Ministers' Meeting scheduled to be held in Seoul this December.

At this meeting, the "Statement on Youth, Peace, and Security," co-proposed by South Korea, was adopted.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.