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President Yoon Suk Yeol (second from left) and first lady Kim Keon Hee (right) attend a ceremony marking Armed Forces Day at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, just south of Seoul, on Tuesday. (Yonhap) |
President Yoon Suk Yeol is set to embark on a three-nation Southeast Asia trip on Sunday that will include state visits to the Philippines and Singapore, followed by a trip to Laos for an annual summit led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
On the first leg of the six-day trip, Yoon will arrive in the Philippines on Sunday, where he will meet with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to discuss ways to enhance bilateral relations, especially as this year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations.
On Tuesday, Yoon will begin a two-day state visit to Singapore, where he will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to deepen economic ties in areas such as artificial intelligence, digital technology, defense, and supply chains. During his visit, Yoon also plans to deliver a speech on South Korea's unification vision on Wednesday.
On Thursday, Yoon will attend the ASEAN summit, during which South Korea will elevate its relations with the 10-nation regional bloc to a comprehensive strategic partnership, and participate in the ASEAN Plus Three summit involving South Korea, Japan, and China.
In a written interview with the Associated Press, Yoon said he will highlight North Korea's recent disclosure of a nuclear facility, which he believes is aimed at drawing the U.S.'s attention ahead of next month's presidential election, while warning of potential provocations, such as a nuclear test and a long-range missile test.
"At the upcoming ASEAN-related summits, I will stress the importance of the denuclearization of North Korea, which is a prerequisite for realizing a free, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region," Yoon said in the interview with AP. "This will serve to send a clear message that the international community will never condone North Korea's reckless actions."
Yoon said he will seek to further expand cooperation with ASEAN on a range of areas, including politics, military exchanges, cybersecurity, the environment, and a safety net against financial crises.
Talks have been underway to arrange Yoon's first in-person meeting with Japan's new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Laos on the sidelines of the ASEAN summits, a presidential official told reporters.
On Friday, Yoon will participate in the East Asian Summit, a regional security forum, before returning home. (Yonhap)
