(LEAD) S. Korea, ASEAN agree to upgrade ties to 'strategic partnership'

By Lee Chi-dong
HANOI, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and a group of 10 Southeast Asian nations Friday agreed to upgrade their relations to a "strategic partnership," a deal expected to help deepen cooperation in economy, security and development, and promote cultural and human exchanges, South Korea's presidential office said.

President Lee Myung-bak and his counterparts from the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) issued a joint declaration on the agreement and a detailed action plan after their annual gathering in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak (R) holds summit talks with India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Oct. 29. (Yonhap)
The declaration calls for working toward establishing a regular security dialogue channel between the two sides, separately from the ASEAN Regional Forum, which South Korea's foreign minister attends each year.

Lee also "proposed the creation of the South Korea-Mekong Foreign Ministers Meeting aimed at narrowing development gaps among ASEAN members and strengthening (South Korea's) economic cooperation" with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand near the Mekong River, Lee's office Cheong Wa Dae said.

The move is part of Seoul's efforts to expand economic, political and cultural ties with the ASEAN, with mutual trade volume between the bodies continuing to grow.

Two-way trade totaled US$75 billion in 2009 and, officials said, it is expected to jump close to US$100 billion this year.

In their special summit held on Jeju Island last year to mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of a formal dialogue relationship, South Korea and the ASEAN set the goal of increasing the amount to US$150 billion by 2015.

ASEAN leaders expressed their appreciation for South Korea's invitation to Vietnam, which chairs this year's regional meetings, as a guest to the two-day Seoul G-20 summit to open on Nov. 11, according to Cheong Wa Dae.

They welcomed a plan to discuss the new agenda items of how to aid the development of poor nations and set up a global financial security net to curb the sudden flow of capital to and from emerging markets, it said.

"President Lee asked for active interest and support from the ASEAN nations for the successful hosting of the Seoul G-20 summit," it said.

Lee also said South Korea hopes that the rotating chair country of the ASEAN will attend G-20 summits on a regular basis, added Cheong Wa Dae.

lcd@yna.co.kr
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