BUSAN (SOUTH KOREA), Nov 27 (TNA) – Five countries in the
Mekong River sub-region and South Korea have adopted a declaration for
cooperation in seven areas at the inaugural Mekong-Republic of Korea Summit in
Busan.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in hosted the Summit with
leaders of Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam on Wednesday following the 3rd
ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit on Monday and Tuesday.
President Moon, Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith,
Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Thai Prime Minister Prayut
Chan-o-cha, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Cambodian Deputy
Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn, attending on behalf of Prime Minister Hun Sen,
endorsed the Mekong-Han River Declaration for Establishing Partnership for
People, Prosperity and Peace.
The Declaration lays out cooperation plans for agriculture
and farming development, infrastructure, information and communications
technology (ICT), culture and tourism, investment in human capital, environment
and non-traditional security challenges.
In his opening statement, President Moon said if South
Korea’s experience was combined with the dynamics of the Mekong region, the
“Miracle on the Han River,” referring to South Korea’s rapid economic growth,
would lead to “the Miracle of the Mekong River.”
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told the Summit that
by enhancing people, prosperity and peace the Declaration reflected mutual
efforts for cooperation.
Prayut said South Korea’s New Southern Policy and
Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS)
demonstrated such efforts.
Under the declaration, the six countries agree to enhance
cooperation in infrastructure development, launch information and communications
technology projects to promote digitalization.
They plan to establish a joint water resources research center in South
Korea with a focus on improving the sustainability of the Mekong river basin. (TNA)
