304. Significant progress was made in development cooperation programmes between the Republic of Korea and ASEAN in 1995. During FY 1995, eight projects, found in Table 21 , were successfully implemented.

305. The Eighth Meeting of the ASEAN-ROK Joint Management Committee (JMC) held in Jakarta on 1 February 1996, approved the budgets for the following new projects for implementation within FY 1996 :

(a) Research Project on the Establishment of Science & Technology Manpower Development System;
(b) International Cooperation Action Programs for Industrialization in the ASEAN Nations ; and
(c) Fourth Year Technology Transfer Programme in Agricultural Development.

306. The first project commenced in April 1996, implemented by the Korean Institute of Science and Technology (KIST); while the second project to be held in Seoul, ROK will take off in August/September 1996. The JMC also approved by ad referendum the budget for the project on Exchange of Visits of ASEAN and Korean Officials which was implemented in the third week of April 1996. Further, the ROK agreed to the Workshop on Microelectronics Technology project, proposed by ASEAN to be held in Bangkok in October 1996.

307. The new proposed Rules of Procedure of the Joint Management Committee of the ASEAN-ROK Special Cooperation Fund has been revised. They will come into effect once adopted by the Third ASEAN-ROK Dialogue scheduled for June 1997 in Manila.

308. A feasibility study on the Establishment of the ASEAN Promotion Centre (APC) in Seoul, has been conducted by the Korean Research Centre for Industrial Information & Technology and was completed in December 1995. A cost-sharing approach was proposed for the funding of the APC. ASEAN has decided that as a matter of policy, it is not in favour of establishing ASEAN centres in third countries if it entails counterpart funding on the part of ASEAN.

309. In April 1996, the Republic of Korea proposed a new project entitled Korea-ASEAN 21st Century Committee. The proposal was first broached by the President Kim Young Sam during his state visit to Singapore in February 1996. Under this proposal, the committee which would serve as a temporary working body until 1999 will be composed of prominent figures from academic, cultural, business and other circles. The group will convene once a year to discuss issues related to promoting mutual cooperation, with topics ranging from political, economic and cultural aspects. It will then submit recommendations to the respective governments.(philippines)

310. At the 4th Meeting of the 29th ASC, Indonesia supported the initiative of the government of the Republic of Korea. The meeting, however, proposed an Eminent Persons Group be established instead. This was relayed to the government of the republic of Korean which agreed to the proposal.