Yoon: "Korea Contributes to Freedom, Peace, and Prosperity in the Indo-Pacific Region"... Sharp Criticism of Russian and Myanmar Military Regimes

Strong Commitment to Implementing Korea's Indo-Pacific Strategy
Directly Mentioning 'Russia's Invasion of Ukraine' and 'Myanmar's Democratic Backsliding' with Emphasis on "Korea's Humanitarian Support"
Active Advocacy for North Korea Denuclearization, Requesting International Cooperation
Emphasis on Resolving South China Sea Issues According to International Law

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Phnom Penh (Cambodia) = Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] President Yoon attended the East Asia Summit (EAS) for the first time on the 13th and expressed his determination to "actively contribute to freedom, peace, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region."

According to the presidential office, President Yoon made this statement while explaining South Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy and its stance on major regional and international issues at the EAS held in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, the host country of ASEAN, on the afternoon of the same day.

The EAS is a regional cooperation body that discusses major security issues, consisting of 18 Indo-Pacific countries including the 10 ASEAN countries, South Korea, the United States, Japan, China, Russia, India, Australia, and New Zealand. This year, the European Union (EU) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization also attended as invited guests by the chair country.

Although a total of 20 countries and organizations were supposed to attend, Myanmar, which is under military rule following a coup d'?tat, was excluded from the ASEAN summit. In the case of Russia, which is at war with Ukraine, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attended in place of President Vladimir Putin.

President Yoon first emphasized, "Our Indo-Pacific strategy aims for a free Indo-Pacific that upholds universal values," adding, "Core values such as freedom, human rights, and the rule of law in the region must be respected, and changes to the status quo by force must not be tolerated."

He also directly criticized the Ukraine war and the Myanmar military coup, which have damaged universal values such as freedom, human rights, and the rule of law, drawing international condemnation.

Regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine, he defined it as "a violation of international law and an act threatening the lives and human rights of the Ukrainian people," emphasizing that "Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence must be respected." He also stated, "We will further expand our humanitarian aid to Ukraine."

Regarding the military coup in Myanmar, he expressed deep concern about the regression of democracy in Myanmar and hoped that "freedom and democracy will bloom again in Myanmar." Likewise, he added, "We fully support ASEAN's efforts for this and will also expand humanitarian aid to the people of Myanmar based on close cooperation with the international community."

President Yoon emphasized the pursuit of a peaceful Indo-Pacific that respects a rules-based international order and adherence to the principle of resolving disputes based on international law.

Addressing the South China Sea issue, President Yoon said, "It must become a sea of peace and prosperity that protects a rules-based maritime order," pointing out that "freedom of navigation and overflight must be guaranteed according to the principles of international law, including the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Law of the Sea, and acts that escalate tensions should be restrained."

He also stressed that North Korea's denuclearization is a prerequisite for peace in the Indo-Pacific. President Yoon reiterated, "Despite repeated concerns and warnings from the international community, if North Korea launches intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) again or conducts nuclear tests, the international community must respond firmly."

He continued, "At the same time, the door to dialogue with North Korea is always open, and if North Korea takes steps toward denuclearization, we will provide full support according to the 'Bold Initiative.'"

President Yoon also stated, "To promote prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, we will pursue open and mutually beneficial cooperation," introducing that "we will focus on promoting regional trade and investment and establishing stable supply chains."

He added, "As a model country for digital innovation, South Korea will actively cooperate to strengthen ASEAN's digital capabilities, and by significantly expanding our diplomatic contributions to address climate change, enhance health capacities, and close the digital divide, we will share the values of coexistence and co-prosperity."

The presidential office said, "President Yoon clearly presented our stance on major regional and international issues based on our independent Indo-Pacific strategy at this East Asia Summit," and evaluated that "it firmly imprinted our determination to constructively and actively contribute to realizing a free, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region."

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