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Countdown to ASEAN-Korea summit begins with no word on Kim Jong-un's attendance
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South Korean Ambassador to ASEAN Lim Sung-nam (left), Busan Mayor Oh Keo-don (second left), Myanmar Ambassador to Korea U Thant Sin (second right) and ASEAN-Korea Centre secretary-general Lee Hyuk address the press in Busan on Wednesday. (JP/Primastuti Handayani)
T
he 40-day countdown for the ASEAN-Korea Commemorative Summit has kicked off with emphasis on the three Ps – People, Prosperity and Peace – coined by South Korean President Moon Jae-in. However, there is no definitive answer as to whether North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un will attend.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, South Korean Ambassador for ASEAN Lim Sung-nam said there were no guarantees about Kim showing up to the event.
“However, President Moon had said during his visit to Thailand, Laos and Vietnam that if Kim could attend, it would be an important element to the summit,” he said. The summit will take place in South Korea’s second-largest city, Busan, on Nov. 25 and 26.
Inviting the North Korean leader to the Korea-ASEAN summit was first raised at the ASEAN+3 meeting in Singapore in November. Moon stated in an interview with the Bangkok Post in August that Kim’s attendance would be a significant milestone for peace in Asia.
Apart from the issue of peace on the Korean Peninsula, the summit – which will also mark the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-Korea ties – would also discuss issues related to terrorism, extremism and cybersecurity, Lim added.
“There will be discussions on governments’ efforts to fight against trans-border crimes,” he said.
Lim also said there would be a joint statement from the 10 ASEAN leaders and Moon. “However, it is too early to say something about [what] the statement is about.”
