Jakarta – The First Meeting of the ASEAN-Republic of Korea (ROK) Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) was held today at the ASEAN Secretariat. The Meeting reviewed the progress of ASEAN-ROK cooperation in the past one year, particularly the progress of implementation of the ASEAN-ROK Plan of Action 2011-2015 and follow-up actions on the outcomes of the 16th ASEAN-ROK Summit which was held in October 2013 in Brunei Darussalam, as well as the implementation of projects and activities.

The Meeting discussed a number of other important matters such as the implementation of commemorative activities to mark the 25th Anniversary of the ASEAN-ROK Dialogue Relations in 2014, including the preparation for the ASEAN-ROK Special Summit which will be convened in December 2014. The Meeting also discussed ways to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of ASEAN-ROK development cooperation, including by exploring new approaches to expedite and improve the project approval and implementation process.

In addition, the Meeting exchanged views on ways and means to ensure effective implementation of the ASEAN-ROK Plan of Action across the three pillars of political-security, economic, and socio-cultural cooperation. ASEAN and the ROK also briefed each other of the developments in their respective regions.

The Meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Rahmat Pramono, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Indonesia to ASEAN and H.E. Baek Seong-Taek, Ambassador of the ROK to ASEAN. The Permanent Representatives of ASEAN Member States to ASEAN and their representatives, officials of the Mission of the ROK to ASEAN and from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the ROK in Seoul, and the ASEAN Secretariat attended the Meeting.