Kasit Piromya (far left) shakes hands with Yu Myung-Hwan following the opening of a new agency to promote ties between South Korea and Southeast Asia. -- PHOTO: AFP
SEOUL - SOUTH Korea on Friday opened a new agency to promote ties with Southeast Asia in a ceremony attended by Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya.
Foreign Minister Yu Myung-Hwan said the ASEAN-Korea Centre would play a central role in promoting cooperation between South Korea and South-east Asia.
Thailand chairs this year's meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations which also groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam.
The centre, which will support business and cultural exchanges, will be staffed by senior officials from Seoul and each of the 10 Asean members.
After the ceremony, Piromya and Yu held talks focusing on a special South Korea-Asean summit planned for June on the southern island of Jeju, and the Asean Plus Three summit in Thailand next month.
South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak Sunday wrapped up a visit to Asean's largest member Indonesia following earlier stops in Australia and New Zealand.
The trip marked the launch of what he calls a 'new Asia initiative", a plan for Seoul significantly to improve ties with all nations in the region. -- AFP
