South Korean President Park Geun-hye arrived in Myanmar on Wednesday for annual summits with Asian and other regional partners to discuss a wide-range of issues and bolster cooperation with one of the world’s fastest-growing regions.
The trip comes after she wrapped up the two-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Beijing, an annual meeting meant to boost trade among its 21 member economies, including the United States.
Park was to hold a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Naypyidaw at 5 p.m. local time, hours after touching down in Myanmar’s capital.
It will be Park’s first meeting with Modi since May when he took power in the world’s largest democracy and second most populous country.
After the meeting, Park plans to attend a welcoming banquet to be hosted by Myanmar’s president for the leaders who came to the Southeast Asian country for the East Asia Summit, according to Park’s office.
The East Asia Summit is an 18-nation forum grouping the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus its eight dialogue partners — South Korea, China, Japan, the U.S., Russia, Australia, India and New Zealand.
On Thursday, participants in the East Asia Summit could discuss ways to tackle such global issues as the Ebola virus and the terrorist organization known as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, according to Park’s office.
Park also plans to attend a summit between the ASEAN and its three Northeast Asian dialogue partners — South Korea, China and Japan.
ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.
She plans to use the ASEAN 3 summit to call for joint efforts to pressure North Korea to give up its nuclear programs.
On Tuesday, Park and her U.S. counterpart, Barack Obama, pledged to further strengthen efforts for the denuclearization of North Korea, a South Korean official said.
Park and Obama met on the sidelines of an annual summit of Asia-Pacific leaders in Beijing.
Despite international pressure, North Korea has repeatedly vowed to develop its economy and nuclear arsenal in tandem, viewing its nuclear programs as a powerful deterrent against what it claims is Washington’s hostile policy toward it.
From Myanmar, Park will fly to Brisbane, Australia, for a summit of the Group of 20 advanced and emerging economies. The summit’s wide-ranging agenda includes anti-corruption, development and trade.
In Brisbane, the South Korean president also plans to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to discuss practical ways to expand the two countries’ ties through construction and infrastructure projects, her office said. (Yonhap)
