S. Korea Calls For ASEAN To Support Its Efforts For Dialogue With N. Korea

SEOUL, Dec 3 (Bernama-Yonhap) -- South Korea's Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Eui-hae on Wednesday called for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to support its efforts to resume dialogue with North Korea, the foreign ministry said, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Chung made the call during a luncheon meeting with ambassadors from 11 ASEAN member states stationed in Seoul, including Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, according to the ministry.

During the meeting, Chung expressed appreciation for ASEAN leaders to support President Lee Jae Myung's "END" initiative to end hostility and promote peace with the North during the ASEAN-related summit in October.

Lee unveiled the END initiative -- "exchange," "normalisation" and "denuclearisation" -- as his key policy direction toward North Korea during his address at the United Nations General Assembly in September.

Chung also stressed that South Korea is working to further strengthen its comprehensive strategic partnership with ASEAN, including by expanding people-to-people exchanges and enhancing cooperation in trade and security, according to the ministry.

-- BERNAMA-YONHAP