President Moon Jae-in is in Brunei,… the first stop of a tour that will take him to three Asian nations this week.
Our Shin Se-min, who is traveling with the president, files this report from Brunei.
President Moon Jae-in's three-nation tour of ASEAN nations kicks off with a state visit to Brunei,… the first of its kind by a South Korean leader in 19 years.
The visit includes a summit with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah where they'll sign a deal that boosts economic and diplomatic relations between South Korea and Brunei.
The leaders are largely expected to focus on energy and construction-related cooperation.
Brunei's energy-centric economy was been a boon for the country,... which has one of the highest per capita GDPs in the world.
Also as an ASEAN nation,… Brunei is a key cooperative partner for President Moon's New Southern Policy - that calls for efforts to up South Korea's bilateral trade with ASEAN to more than 200 billion dollars in 2020.
"We look forward to drawing up detailed and practical cooperative measures that both sides can feel and help improve awareness within ASEAN about the New Southern Policy."
With that in mind, Seoul is prepping to host a special summit with the heads of state of all ten ASEAN nations later this year,… a meeting that will also mark the 30th anniversary of the start of dialogue between Korea and ASEAN.
"While solidifying his New Southern Policy,... part of the administration's bid to add more diversity to its diplomacy,... the president hopes to bring Korea and ASEAN closer than ever on the cultural and social level.
Shin Se-min, Arirang News, Bandar Seri Begawan."
