Asian leaders call for continued fight against economic crisis

By Byun Duk-kun
HUA HIN, Thailand, Oct. 24 (Yonhap) -- Leaders of 13 Asian countries, including
South Korea, Japan and China, agreed Saturday to continue their joint efforts to
fight global economic and financial problems, saying the world has yet to come
out of the ongoing crisis.
"President Lee Myung-bak presented the outcome of the G-20 economic summit in
Pittsburgh and stressed that international cooperation was still needed to
overcome the global economic and financial crisis," the South Korean presidential
office, Cheong Wa Dae, said of an annual summit also hosted by the 10-member
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Lee arrived here late Friday following his visits to Vietnam and Cambodia, both
members of ASEAN. The regional group also includes Brunei, Indonesia, Laos,
Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore and the Philippines.
The ASEAN Plus Three summit followed separate meetings between ASEAN and the
three Northeast Asian countries here earlier Saturday.
At his meeting with ASEAN leaders, the South Korean president said his country
will positively consider inviting Vietnam, the chair of ASEAN next year, as a
special guest to a G-20 summit to be held in South Korea in November 2010,
according to Cheong Wa Dae.
Seoul is the chair of the international economic conference next year.
"Expressing concerns over the issue of food security in the region, President Lee
reaffirmed our commitment to support the establishment of infrastructure to help
improve food conditions in the region," Cheong Wa Dae said in a press release.
The South Korean president also announced Seoul's commitment of 150,000 tons of
rice to a food reserve program run by the ASEAN Plus Three, it said.
Lee will wrap up his three-day visit here Sunday following his participation in
the annual East Asia Summit, which will include the leaders of India, Australia
and New Zealand in addition to the 13 members of ASEAN Plus Three.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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