SEOUL, March 7 — South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) have launched a joint research platform on economic and trade policies as part of efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation, Seoul's industry ministry announced on Friday.
The Asean-ROK Think-Tank Dialogue on Economic and Trade Policy (AKTD) held a two-day kick-off meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, from yesterday, discussing measures to enhance collaboration on economic and trade research in the region, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. ROK stands for South Korea’s official name, the Republic of Korea.
The AKTD was established as a follow-up measure to the South Korea-Asean summit in October, where both sides agreed to elevate their relations to a “comprehensive strategic partnership” and enhance cooperation across various fields.
"We anticipate the AKTD will become a leading policy platform for economic cooperation between South Korea and Asean, and contribute to the balanced economic development of the region," said Kim Jong-chul, director general for international trade relations at the ministry.
The ministry also said it had discussed with its Indonesian counterpart their joint response to global oversupply and other economic challenges.
— Bernama-Yonhap
