Lee to attend ASEAN, APEC summits in Philippines, China next week
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President Lee Jae Myung delivers a congratulatory speech at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Chungcheong Megaproject, held at the Samsung Electronics Onyang Campus construction site in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, Thursday. Yonhap
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will attend summits of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) next week, his national security adviser said Thursday.
The South Korean president will depart Monday first for Manila where he will attend the ASEAN summit until Tuesday, followed by a two-day trip to China’s Shenzhen beginning Wednesday, where he will attend the APEC summit, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac told a briefing.
On Monday, Lee plans to hold discussions with ASEAN countries on ways to enhance cooperation during a South Korea-ASEAN summit, followed by a meeting with leaders of five Mekong countries — Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
During the summit with the Mekong countries, the South Korean president plans to express his commitment to strengthening strategic partnership with the countries and discuss ways to enhance cooperation in critical minerals, responses to transnational crimes and others, Wi said.
The following day, Lee will attend the ASEAN Plus Three summit, which will bring together the heads of state of ASEAN member countries, as well as South Korea, Japan and China, and later the East Asia Summit to discuss regional issues.
Arriving in Shenzhen on Wednesday, the South Korean president will attend an APEC CEO summit, followed by a welcoming dinner hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan.
The following day, he will attend the APEC summit and take part in discussions under this year’s theme, “Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together,” before returning home the same day.
In his remarks at the summit, Lee will stress South Korea’s pledge to play a constructive role in developing APEC and promoting the prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region, the national security adviser noted.
At the upcoming summits, Lee also plans to strengthen mutual trust and cooperation with other heads of state through bilateral and multilateral meetings while highlighting South Korea’s contributions to resolving regional challenges, including energy supply chains, transnational crimes and food security, according to Wi.
The president also plans to call on ASEAN and APEC member countries to support Seoul’s peaceful coexistence policy toward North Korea and convey a “positive message” in favor of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula, the official noted.
A presidential official separately said that North Korea is unlikely to attend next week’s APEC summit to hold talks with the United States.
“It would be difficult to say there is zero possibility of talks (between North Korea and the U.S.), but I think the probability might not be high,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
The North is, in particular, unlikely to attend next week’s APEC summit, the official said, adding that the chances of talks between the two sides during the summit are slim.
