Kuala lumpur: First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo engaged in brief exchanges with the foreign ministers of China and Japan during the ASEAN meeting in Malaysia. This marks the first in-person interactions between senior diplomats from these three nations since the inception of the Lee Jae Myung government.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Park approached Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, exchanging handshakes and brief greetings before a multilateral meeting with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the three countries. These interactions were the first face-to-face encounters between a senior South Korean diplomat and the two ministers since the Lee administration assumed office last month.

Park attended a series of high-level ASEAN-hosted meetings as South Korea’s top representative, with the foreign minister’s nomination pending parliamentary approval. During the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) session, Park underscored the APT framework’s role as a significant economic engine, responsible for over 40 percent of global growth.

Highlighting South Korea’s contributions to regional initiatives in areas such as financing, food, and security, Park expressed optimism for continued collaborative efforts to tackle shared regional challenges. Prior to the APT session, Park participated in the South Korea-ASEAN meeting, reaffirming South Korea’s commitment to strengthening ties with ASEAN under the Lee government, focusing on sustainable growth and regional cooperation.

Park also emphasized South Korea’s endeavors to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula, seeking ASEAN’s ongoing support in these efforts. “The vice minister stated that the South Korean government will continue efforts to create room for dialogue and diplomacy through tension reduction and confidence-building measures, while seeking meaningful progress toward peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and the resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue,” the foreign ministry noted in a release.

Park highlighted Seoul’s efforts to advance a comprehensive strategic partnership (CSP) with the ASEAN bloc, expressing hope for joint efforts to build a sustainable partnership. He called for closer collaboration under the action plan for 2026-30, adopted at the meeting, based on the CSP framework.

“Based on the new Plan of Action (POA), ASEAN and Korea will navigate our way forward to addressing challenges we face together, such as global supply chain uncertainties, climate change and transnational crime,” Park remarked in his opening statements. “The new POA will also serve as a guiding document to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation on future-oriented areas, including AI, digital transition and green transition.”

Park further emphasized South Korea’s support for the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, which is a long-term roadmap aimed at boosting economic integration, enhancing regional security and stability, and promoting sustainable development.