Seoul (VNA) – The Republic of Korea (RoK) and ASEAN have agreed tolaunch a working-level dialogue to strengthen cooperation in protecting theenvironment and tackling climate change, the former’s Foreign Ministryannounced on December 16.
The two sides have wrapped up weeks of discussions toestablish the RoK-ASEAN Dialogue on Environment and Climate Change and plan tohold the first meeting next year, the ministry said.
The RoK is the third partner after Japan and the EuropeanUnion to have such a dialogue channel on the environment and climate changewith the 10-member ASEAN.
At the 21st ASEAN-RoK Summit in November, both sides’leaders agreed to boost equal development cooperation, and back efforts tonarrow development gap, reduce poverty, intensify sub-region developmentcollaboration, and increase the capacity of responding to such emergingchallenges as climate change, disaster management, environmental protection andplastic waste reduction.
ASEAN member states include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia,Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam./.
