President Park Geun-hye will attend the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit and pay an official visit to Mongolia from July 14 to 18.

It has been five years since a Korean head of state last visited Mongolia, in 2011, and this is President Park’s first visit to the country.

The 11th ASEM Summit will be in Ulaanbaatar on July 15 and 16. Mongolia will chair the gathering and it will be attended by leaders and high-profile government officials from 51 countries in Asia and in Europe and representatives from ASEAN and the EU.

The theme for the summit is “Years of ASEM: Partnership for the Future Through Connectivity,” as this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of ASEM. In the summit, leaders from Asia and Europe will discuss the achievements of ASEM and its future outlook, and measures to boost connectivity between Asia and Europe. They will also have in-depth discussions about regional and international issues, including the North Korean nuclear weapons issue.

President Park’s attendance at the ASEM Summit is set to be an important watershed in regard to collective support and efforts from Asia and Europe for the denuclearization of North Korea.

After the ASEM Summit, the president will pay an official state visit to Mongolia on July 17 and 18, upon an invitation from Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj. President Park will hold summit talks with the Mongolian leader, oversee the signing of some memorandums of understanding and also attend a joint press conference.

President Park will discuss with her Mongolian counterpart measures to substantially boost cooperation, especially on new areas of cooperation such as new energies and the health sector, and talk about Korean firms participating in the Mongolian energy and infrastructure sectors. The two leaders will exchange their thoughts on how to enhance development cooperation, cross-cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and how to deepen the comprehensive partnership that the two countries forged in 2011.

Through reform, revolution and steps toward democratization since 1990, Mongolia was the first Asian country to successfully transform its formerly socialist system into one with democracy and open markets. It holds diplomatic relationships with both South and North Korea, and is an important partner in terms of cooperation on peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and across Northeast Asia.

President Park’s visit to Mongolia follows Mongolian President Elbegdorj’s official visit to Korea this past May, giving a chance for both leaders to visit their partner country within the year. Such reciprocal visits strengthen the cooperative relationship that the two countries have built in the areas of politics, business and the arts, ever since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1990.

By Wi Tack-whan, Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writers
Photo: Jeon Han Korea.net Photographer
whan23@korea.kr