Mekong sub-region countries, RoK enhance ties amid COVID-19
Five Mekong sub-region nations and the Republic of Korea (RoK), on September 29, called for joint efforts to restore and promote global trade plagued by the coronavirus pandemic and to secure fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.
RoK Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha at the 10th Mekong-RoK Foreign Ministers' Meeting (Source: VNA)
Seoul (VNA) – Five Mekong sub-region nationsand the Republic of Korea (RoK), on September 29, called for joint efforts torestore and promote global trade plagued by the coronavirus pandemic and to securefair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.
The pledge was made in a co-chairs statement adopted afterthe 10th RoK-Mekong foreign ministers' meeting held via a video link. TheMekong River nations consist of Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand.
"The Ministers ... reaffirmed their commitment toworking together to restore and maintain interconnectedness by facilitatinginternational trade and essential movement of people, goods and services acrossborders," the statement released by the RoK foreign ministry read asquoted by the RoK’s Yonhap News Agency.
They also reiterated their support for "vaccinemultilateralism and the goal of ensuring affordable, fair and equitable accessto safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for all," according to thestatement.
The ministers also expressed concern about tradeprotectionism and tensions and called for "a transparent, free, open andrules-based multilateral trading system led by the WTO (World Trade Organization)."
Regarding Korean peninsula's peace process, they reiteratedtheir support for efforts toward denuclearisation and building permanent peaceand agreed that peace and prosperity on the peninsula can only be achievedthrough continued dialogue.
The 10th RoK-Mekong foreign ministers' meeting took place onSeptember 28 and was co-hosted by Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and ForeignMinister Pham Binh Minh and RoK Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha.
The RoK and the five Southeast Asian nations held their firstForeign Ministers’ meeting in 2011./.
The 6th Mekong-Republic of Korea (RoK) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting took place in Vientiane, Laos on July 24 in the framework of the ongoing 49 th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM 49).
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc has affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to cooperation between Mekong countries and the Republic of Korea (RoK).
Foreign ministers of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam highly valued the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s contributions to the Mekong region in the recent past while attending a meeting in Bangkok on August 3.
Agencies under the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea (RoK) have been focusing on preparing for the ASEAN-RoK Commemorative Summit, said Chairman of the Korean Presidential Committee on New Southern Policy Joo Hyung-chul.
The ASEAN – RoK Exhibition on Public Service Innovation is underway in the RoK city of Busan from November 25 to 27, on the sidelines of the 30th ASEAN – RoK Commemorative Summit and the first Mekong – RoK Summit.
The 2025 ASEAN Business Community Development (ABCD) Forum, themed “Empowering ASEAN's Next Leap: Digital, Sustainable & Entrepreneurial Transformation” brought together ministers, CEOs, and top industry experts to discuss key regional economic priorities.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Malaysia’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) reached 1.01% of gross domestic product in 2022, a notable increase, with more than 51% contributed by the industry sector. The country is targeting GERD to reach 2.5% by 2030, in line with the national goal of transforming into a high-technology nation.
The facility was established in response to a growing shift in the Filipino labour force from the Middle East to Japan, where workers are seeking safer working environments.
In the latest Indonesia-US trade agreement in July, the US administration agreed to reduce the reciprocal tariff, which was initially set at 32% by US President Donald Trump last April, to 19%.
RoK Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha at the 10th Mekong-RoK Foreign Ministers' Meeting (Source: VNA) 
