ASEAN, KOREA SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO LESSER FORTUNATE

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- Asean and South Korea, as part of East
Asia's growing economic strength, should seek to contribute to lesser fortunate
parts of the world, such as sub-Saharan Africa and Middle East countries, said
Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Chee Leong.

He said, although many of the Asean countries as well as South Korea, were
already doing this bilaterally, he said some collective efforts could also be
well-placed, especially in the area of consultation.

According to Lee, the 10-member regional grouping, for example, could share
their lessons with respect to regional organisation and integration.

"(And) as a developed country, Korea can add its own perspectives as Asean
dialogue partner, thereby giving developing countries a basis for comparison
with their own experiences, possibly a model for the future," he said in his
keynote address at the Fourth Korea-Asean Cooperation Forum here Tursday.

The two-day forum, jointly organised by the Korea Foundation and Malaysia's
Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) is themed 'New Roles
and New Responsibilities'.

It is attended by academicians, experts from think-tanks, policy analysts,
non-governmental organisations and the private sectors.

Lee said, the establishment of the Asean-Korea Centre in March this year, in
Seoul, was one of the many initiatives taken to further enhance trade,
investment, tourism and cultural exchanges between the regional grouping and
South Korea.

The deputy minister hoped that similar centres would be set up throughout
Asean countries in the near future to promote and further the understanding and
appreciation of Korean culture, society and history.

Lee also stressed that food, energy and security were issues that demanded
the greatest cooperation, and should be one of the backbones of the Asean-Korea
relations.

In this regard, he said that Seoul's participation in the East Asia
Emergency Rice Reserve pilot project, and under the Asean Plus Three, in oil
stockpiling roadmap, energy outlook, joint oil data initiative and forum on
nuclear energy safety, was greatly commended.

Lee also said that East Asia must be open if it was to be successful, not
only in the economic realm, but also the political, diplomatic and strategic.

With the Asean-Korea Free Trade Area coming into effect on Jan 1, next year,
it could be expected a much higher level of exchanges in goods, services and
investment in the years to come, he added.

"I would like to remind participants that in Jeju Island, our leaders placed
a target of US$150 billion in bilateral trade to be achieved by 2015, up from
US$90 billion in 2008. I personally welcome this and hope that economic
relations will move to another stage altogether, one that surpasses friendship
and becomes true partnership at every level," he said.
-- BERNAMA