▲ South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun attends the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Manila, Philippines, on the 22nd.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stated that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are placing severe pressure on food and energy security, while proposing a joint response framework at the ASEAN Plus Three level.
Speaking in his opening remarks at the 27th ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Manila today (the 23rd), Minister Cho said, "The disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have exposed vulnerabilities previously considered merely hypothetical, imposing a heavy burden on both food and energy security."
"Ironically, this crisis opens a window of opportunity for ASEAN Plus Three to once again prove the value of this cooperative framework," he added, calling for strengthened practical cooperation in the food and energy sectors.
Regarding food security, Minister Cho noted that it is time to expand the scope of the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR), a proven mechanism, beyond just rice to include other commodities.
Minister Cho stated, "We must mobilize the necessary political will and engage technical experts to explore and shape a viable roadmap."
On the energy front, he emphasized that ASEAN Plus Three experts have explored regional cooperation possibilities for over a decade, declaring that "it is now time to translate accumulated visions into concrete action."
Ahead of the 30th anniversary of the launch of ASEAN Plus Three next year, he expressed hope that the meeting would serve as a starting point to discover unexplored areas of joint effort and potential.
Regarding peninsula issues, he stated, "The Republic of Korea will continue to make every effort to achieve peaceful coexistence and joint prosperity on the Korean Peninsula by resuming dialogue with North Korea."
He also expressed gratitude for the unwavering support of ASEAN Plus Three for these efforts, adding that he looks forward to further strengthening cooperation to promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu also emphasized the need for cooperation on common challenges faced by ASEAN Plus Three nations, such as energy and food security, aging populations, and disaster management.
"We must harness the potential of the ASEAN Plus Three cooperation mechanism to address challenges such as energy and food security, aging, and disaster management," Minister Motegi stated.
He also noted that the combined GDP of ASEAN Plus Three countries accounts for more than one-fourth of global GDP, assessing that the role ASEAN Plus Three must play for regional and global peace and stability has expanded significantly.
Minister Motegi said that Japan's "Free and Open Indo-Pacific" (FOIP) shares basic principles and directions with ASEAN's Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
He added that as a coordinator for China, Japan, and South Korea, Japan will faithfully fulfill its role to ensure close cooperation among ASEAN Plus Three nations for the promotion and mainstreaming of the AOIP.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Hua Chunying diagnosed that "the spillover effects of the Middle East situation are impacting the stability and resilience of energy, food, and industrial and supply chains."
Vice Minister Hua said traditional and emerging security challenges are overlapping and intertwining, and that calls are growing louder for regional countries to join hands in addressing these challenges.
She further emphasized that regional countries should draw lessons from history, uphold independence, openness, and inclusivity, and do more things that contribute to regional peace and stability.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro, representing the chair country, stated that people in various nations are feeling the real-life impacts of global uncertainties, including rising food and energy prices, supply chain disruptions, financial volatility, and the effects and security concerns of climate change.
Secretary Lazaro assessed that ASEAN Plus Three is a cooperative body helping regional countries jointly prepare for, respond to, and recover from crises, highlighting it as one of East Asia's most vital cooperation platforms for peace, stability, resilience, and shared prosperity.
Mentioning mechanisms such as the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation and the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve, she underscored that the value of ASEAN Plus Three lies not merely in the number of meetings or cooperative bodies, but in the trust that it can manage financial shocks, support food security, and maintain open markets.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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