President Yoon Suk Yeol will visit Indonesia and India next week to attend regional summits involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Group of 20 (G20), his office said Thursday.
Yoon will visit Jakarta from Tuesday to Friday to attend a South Korea-ASEAN summit, an ASEAN Plus Three summit and an East Asia Summit (EAS) before meeting separately with Indonesian President Joko Widodo as part of an official bilateral visit to the country, Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-hyo told reporters.
First lady Kim Keon Hee will accompany Yoon on the trip.
"President Yoon plans to emphasize the importance we place on ASEAN by personally attending the ASEAN summits for the second consecutive year," Kim said during a briefing at the presidential office.
"In particular, he will state our government's plans to push the Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative (KASI) in earnest by announcing plans to strengthen cooperation in the cyber and maritime security fields, and cooperation projects in the digital innovation field," he said.
KASI was unveiled by Yoon during last year's ASEAN summits in Cambodia in November, and centers on enhancing strategic communication and cooperation with the bloc's 10 members for regional peace and stability. The initiative also forms a core part of South Korea's Indo-Pacific strategy.
On Wednesday, Yoon will attend the South Korea-ASEAN summit and check the current state of practical cooperation between the two sides while also discussing areas of future cooperation. The same day he will attend the ASEAN Plus Three summit involving the 10 member states, and South Korea, Japan and China to discuss ways to realize an "East Asian community."
The same evening, Yoon will attend a gala dinner hosted by Indonesia, the current ASEAN chair. ASEAN comprises Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
On Sept. 7, the president will attend the EAS, which brings together leaders from the 10 ASEAN states and eight other countries in the region to discuss key security issues in and outside the region.
Yoon will present South Korea's position on regional and international issues, including North Korea's nuclear program, and explain how the country plans to defend and contribute to the rules-based international order, Kim said.
A number of bilateral meetings will take place on the sidelines, including with the leaders of Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Cambodia and the Cook Islands.
On Sept. 8, Yoon will begin the bilateral visit portion of his trip to Indonesia by attending an official welcome ceremony at the presidential palace in Jakarta.
That will be followed by a summit with Joko Widodo, a cooperation agreement signing ceremony and a joint press conference.
Kim said the official visit marks the 50th anniversary this year since the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Indonesia.
"President Yoon plans to discuss ways to strengthen strategic cooperation in foreign affairs and security, and deepen partnerships in future industries, such as electric vehicles and batteries," he said.
From Jakarta, Yoon and the first lady will head to New Delhi, India, the same day.
On Sept. 9, Yoon will attend two sessions of the G20 summit, one of which will discuss climate change and the environment. Yoon will present detailed ways South Korea plans to contribute to overcoming climate change and later attend a dinner hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On Sept. 10, the last day of his tour, Yoon will visit the Raj Ghat memorial dedicated to the Indian anti-colonial nationalist Mahatma Gandhi before attending the third G20 session under the theme "One Future" to discuss ways South Korea will contribute to building a free, peaceful and prosperous future.
A series of bilateral meetings are also planned on the sidelines of the G20 summit, including with the leaders of India, Spain, Argentina and Mauritius.
On whether Yoon could meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, a presidential official said that will depend on which official Beijing sends to the G20 gathering, though it has typically been attended by the Chinese president in the past.
Yoon and Xi held their first bilateral summit on the margins of the previous G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, last November.
Source: Yonhap News Agency