Kuala lumpur: South Korea on Friday called for unified efforts toward resolving North Korea's nuclear issues, vowing to make progress to achieve lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula under the new government of President Lee Jae Myung. First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo made the remarks during the foreign ministers' meeting of the East Asia Summit (EAS), hosted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Malaysia.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Park attended a series of ASEAN-related meetings this week in place of the foreign minister nominee Cho Hyun, whose appointment process is still underway pending parliamentary confirmation. The vice minister stated that the government will "continue efforts to achieve lasting peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula, and make tangible progress in resolving North Korea's nuclear issues," as reported by the foreign ministry.
He also emphasized the importance of support from EAS member states for these efforts and the necessity of sending a unified message to North Korea. Besides South Korea, the EAS member states include the 10 ASEAN members, Japan, China, Australia, India, New Zealand, Russia, and the United States.
Many participants expressed concern over North Korea's ongoing development of nuclear and missile programs, calling for its denuclearization and full compliance with all U.N. Security Council sanctions resolutions. They recognized the importance of efforts to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula, as noted by the ministry.
Park further highlighted that the new South Korean government will maintain a focus on its diplomacy with ASEAN. On the issue of the South China Sea, a frequently disputed region between some Southeast Asian countries and China, many participating countries stressed the need to maintain peace, stability, and safety in the region.
Park reaffirmed South Korea's stance that freedom of navigation and overflight must be ensured in the region, and that maritime order based on international law must be upheld. Additionally, Park expressed his country's commitment to expanding cooperation with EAS partners in addressing emerging challenges such as natural disasters and transnational crime.