 |
|
South Korean President Moon Jae-in delivers a keynote address during the 20th South Korea-ASEAN summit in Singapore on Nov. 14.
|
Visit would put Kim on stage of multilateral diplomacy with 10 ASEAN heads of state
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Nov. 14 that he would “actively consider” Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s suggestion of inviting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to attend a special South Korea-ASEAN summit in South Korea next year.
President Moon was visiting Singapore to attend an ASEAN-related summit. If Kim does attend the meeting – which is expected to take place in late 2019 – he would be entering the stage of multilateral summit diplomacy with the heads of 10 ASEAN states.
President Moon heard the proposal from Widodo at a 20th South Korea-ASEAN summit that morning at the Suntec Singapore convention center.
“I will actively consider that amid the current climate of the Korean Peninsula’s political situation moving closer toward peace,” he replied, adding that he would “discuss matters closely beforehand with the countries of ASEAN.”
Blue House Spokesperson Kim Eui-kyum quoted Widodo as saying the “significance of the special summit would be all the greater if South and North Korea were to attend together” and expressing his “hope that such efforts will be manifested.”
During the meeting that day, President Moon proposed holding a “special South Korea-ASEAN summit” in South Korea next year to commemorate the 30th anniversary of South Korea and ASEAN’s dialogue relationship. The leaders of the 10 ASEAN countries agreed to the idea. It would be the third time the meeting is held in South Korea, after previous ones in 2009 and 2014.
President Moon also proposed holding an inaugural South Korea-Mekong summit in South Korea with five of the countries on the Mekong River (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand), and the leaders of the five countries expressed support for such a summit, Kim Eui-kyum said.
The Blue House reported that Moon would be meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence in Singapore on Nov. 12 and holding a bilateral summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Nov. 17 in Papua New Guinea, where the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit is being held.
By Kim Bo-hyeop, staff reporter
Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]
