Your Excellency,

On behalf of my colleagues, who are present here today, I would like to welcome you and members of your delegation to this 6+1 session of the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference. Personally, it is a pleasure to meet you again since our meeting in Kuala Lumpur, last April. I am sure our discussions today will add further impetus to the already strong and dynamic ASEAN-ROK Dialogue relations.


Your Excellency,

ASEAN and ROK had their first full dialogue meeting in Kuching, Sarawak in May this year. It was a very successful meeting, both in terms of the results achieved and as well as the ambience generated. Although the ROK is the youngest of ASEAN's Dialogue Partners, it is indeed gratifying to know that our officials have already nurtured a close working relationship and have developed mutually beneficial cooperative projects. I am sure these projects which now encompass cooperation in the fields of science and technology and human resources development would further enhance relations between our two sides.

ASEAN is particularly impressed with the way ROK has managed to develop her science and technology capabilities and capacities to a level where science and technology have become a major support of the economy. ASEAN hopes that through the ASEAN-ROK dialogue process, a longer term programme for science and technology cooperation can be instituted apart from the shorter-term projects involving workshops and seminars. In this way ASEAN countries would also he able to develop their science and technology capabilities and capacities to sustain the dynamism of our economy. 'Together, ASEAN and ROK could continue to ensure that the East Asian region remains the centre of world economic growth to the 21st Century.

Toward this end, a fresh opportunity for mutually beneficial economic collaboration is provided for in the form of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA). AFTA which is being implemented this year offers an excellent opportunity for ASEAN's Dialogue Partners to boost their trade, commercial and investment activities in the region. ROK in particular, having the advantage of being geographically located in the same region and being one of ASEAN's major trading partners, is well poised to take advantage of the opportunities that AFTA has to offer.

In this regard, ROK's private sector can play an important role in ensuring ROK's continued active involvement in the economic activities in the ASEAN region. While we recognise that decisions regarding specific aspects of their participation are their own prerogative, we can assist by creating an environment that is conducive to their active involvement. In some ways, the ASEAN-ROK dialogue is contributing towards this by involving the private sectors of both ASEAN and ROK in our dialogue process. They participated fully at the first ASEAN- ROK dialogue, contributing useful ideas particularly to the enhancement of ASEAN-ROK trade and commercial relations. On ASEAN's part, we have drawn up appropriate guidelines, which with the concurrence of ROK, would enable the private sectors from each side or jointly, to initiate projects partially funded from the Special Cooperation Fund established by the ROK Government to finance ASEAN-ROK cooperative projects. Private sector participation in the ASEAN-ROK dialogue, we hope, will lend further impetus to strengthening ASEAN-ROK relations.

ASEAN is also pleased with the progress in the implementation of the various development projects as well as those that are on the planning board. In the past year, several projects have been completed including the ASEAN Travel Fair which was held in Seoul and which drew very favourable response from the Korean public. The E-Mail Computer System has also been set up and ASEAN is planning to go into Phase II with the addition of scanners. Other on-going projects like the Korean Language Training Programme, Survey on the Investment Demands of the ASEAN Industry, with the first in the electronics sector, Technical Transfer Programme in Agricultural Development, Human Resources Development Programme for Officials of ASEAN Countries and Basic Research Project for Supporting the Establishment of S & T Policy and R & D Management System in ASEAN Countries are being implemented. A very useful project being considered for implementation is the Research Proposal for Emerging Issues in Korea's Trade and Investment Relations with Southeast Asia. The implementation of these projects, which are essentially the outcome of our collaborative efforts, demonstrates our commitment to lend substance and meaning to the ASEAN-ROK development cooperation programme.


Your Excellency,

At the first ASEAN-ROK dialogue in Kuching, there were discussions on the merits of setting up an ASEAN Promotion Centre in Seoul. It was acknowledged that such a Centre would assist ASEAN in promoting trade, investment, tourism and culture in the ROK. I am pleased to know that the ROK looks favourably towards this suggestion as ROK's support is crucial -to its establishment. An ASEAN Promotion Centre in Seoul Will be a concrete manifestation of the two sides' desire to sustain their long-term economic as well as people-to-people relationships. ASEAN is currently drawing up the terms of reference for this proposed ASEAN Promotion Centre in Seoul. I sincerely hope that the establishment of the Centre when ASEAN formally presents this proposal.

Thank you.