The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on July 22 announced that it will accredit an ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) to expand and develop friendly and cooperative relations with the association’s member countries.

The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) quoted the DPRK Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson as saying that the country is very interested in developing relations with ASEAN as the association is emerging as an important economic and political force in promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the region, based on a spirit of respect for sovereignty, equality and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.

The statement was made on the occasion of the DPRK Foreign Minister, Pak Ui-Chun’s visit to Bali in Indonesia , to attend the 18 th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Meeting.

The same day, a meeting between nuclear negotiators of DPRK and the Republic of Korea (RoK) was held in Bali , aiming to discuss the resumption of negotiations between the two countries.

This was the first meeting between the two countries’ nuclear negotiators in nearly three years./.