President Park (fifth from left) joins hands with ASEAN leaders during the 17th ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Nov. 22.
President Park Geun-hye emphasized the creation of “a society free from war and free from weapons of mass destruction” on Nov. 22 in Malaysia.
During the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) multilateral summit, held in Kuala Lumpur this year, President Park condemned North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, saying it was “a serious threat to the Korean Peninsula and to the world at large.” She added that, “The situation can only get worse over time.”
Stating that, “North Korea needs to realize that it cannot achieve its goals through its nuclear weapons program,” the president said she hopes that North Korea would accept South Korea’s proposal to begin a new era with the rest of East Asia. She further stressed the “gravity of the North Korean nuclear weapons problem in relation to Korea-ASEAN cooperation on political security,” and requested that ASEAN leaders unite on this issue.
President Park speaks during the 17th ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Nov. 22.
The president said that, “Korea and ASEAN will coordinate their efforts for sustainable and mutual growth. The ASEAN-ROK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and its revised protocol on commodities will contribute to the expansion of trade and investment. Our government will proceed with preparations for the ASEAN-ROK Cultural Exchange in 2017 as a means of advancing ASEAN-ROK relations.”
Finally, noting that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, the president stressed the “need to strengthen the ASEAN Community’s weakest links in order for the community to achieve its mutual goals.”
The 17th ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit is held in Kuala Lumpur on Nov. 22.
President Park (third from left) and ASEAN leaders attend the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Nov. 22.
By Wi Tack-whan, Lee Hana
Korea.net Staff Writers
Photos: Cheong Wa Dae
whan23@korea.kr
