South Korean Envoy Commends Cambodia for Supporting the Upgrade of ASEAN-Korea Ties
The Minister Counsellor of the Republic of Korea to Cambodia, Na Sang-deok delivers a speech on January 19 at AmCam Exchange in Phnom Penh. Photo: Thien Phearin
- By Thien Phearin
- January 20, 2024 1:34 PM
PHNOM PENH — The Minister Counsellor of the Republic of Korea to Cambodia, Na Sang-deok, on Jan. 19, expressed his gratitude to the Cambodian government for its support in upgrading his country’s bilateral ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
At the public lecture on "South Korean Current Foreign Policy" hosted by the Cambodian Center for Regional Studies (CCRS) in Phnom Penh, Na thanked Cambodia for supporting the South Korean proposal to establish a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which is the highest level of bilateral relations.
Na highlighted the fact that ASEAN and South Korea are working closely to upgrade their relationship to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership this year. This decision comes after 35 years of formal dialogue partnership between the two sides, which began in 1989.
The diplomat also emphasized that the highest form of partnership would enable Seoul and ASEAN to tackle common challenges and provide mutual benefits by working together in more extensive areas.
According to the ASEAN statistics, South Korea has now become ASEAN's fifth-largest trading partner and sixth-largest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) source in 2022, with a total trade volume reaching $222.8 billion and the FDI amounting to $12.7 billion.
So far, the regional grouping has upgraded relations with many countries to the level of comprehensive strategic partnership. These include Australia, China, India, Japan and the United States.
