ASEM Discussed to Open North Korea

ASEM foreign ministers meeting is to be held in Beijing, China, May 24-25.

ASEM includes the members of 10 Asian countries including Korea, 15 EU member countries, and Council of the European Union.

25 foreign ministers of the member countries and EU Commissioner for External relations are to examine the implements of the agreement, which was created at the 3rd ASEM summit talks in Seoul last year, and discuss the measures to improve the cooperation in politics, economy, and society.

It is anticipated that ASEM foreign ministers are to discuss the current situation of Korean peninsula, inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation policies of South Korea, and the pending question about whether the North is to open.

EU delegation recently visited the South and the North in May. The Foreign ministry of Sweden, the current chair nation of EU, announced yesterday that ASEM foreign ministers are to discuss the issues about the Korean peninsula.

Foreign Minister Han Seung-Soo is to attend the meeting and explain the current situation of Korean peninsula including recent inter-Korean contacts. He is also expected to ask for the cooperation of ASEM member nation.

ASEM foreign ministers will have bipartite meeting among the foreign ministers in addition to a general meeting. Foreign Minister Han will also meet with the foreign ministers from Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Spain, Denmark on May 24 and Japanese and Chinese foreign ministers on May 25. Foreign sources reported that Mr. Han will discuss about the Japanese school textbooks distortion and the cooperation measures to open North Korea. Particularly, the discussion on the revision of Japanese distorted school textbooks can be a measure to gauge the possibility of the proper resolution.

Lee Jong-Hwan ljhzip@donga.com