ASEAN leaders explore ways to enhance comprehensive strategic partnership with Korea

Member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Monday explored ways to develop Republic of Korea's Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the bloc.

This happened during the 26th ASEAN-ROK Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center in Malaysia. President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. is there to participate in the Summit as well as in the related meetings.

With South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, the ASEAN Leaders underscored ROK's vital contributions to inclusive development in the region, particularly in cybersecurity, maritime partnership and disaster management.

They also explored ways to enhance the ROK’s Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

ASEAN and the ROK first established sectoral dialogue relations in 1989, until the regional bloc granted the country full Dialogue Partner status in July 1991, according to Malacañang.

The Mission of the Republic of Korea to ASEAN said that ROK has worked closely with ASEAN in various areas, including but not limited to political security, economic, socio-cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

ASEAN member states have been the most popular destination for South Korean people, the second largest trading partner as well as the second largest investment destination.

The bloc has also become an indispensable and vital diplomatic partner to ROK. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA Integrated News