Korean interest in Asean grows as integration approaches
Korean interest in Asean grows as integration approaches
The Republic of Korea has set a plan to increase its investment in Asean member countries next year as the region moves to welcome the Asean Economic Community at the end of 2015.
South Korea invested US$3.8 billion in Asean member states in many sectors in 2013, a senior official from the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ms Chung, Eui -hae Cecilia said to Asean media personnel when they visited South Korea recently.
The visit by journalists from Asean member countries was designed to promote the ties between Asean member countries and South Korea. Asean - South Korea will mark the 25th anniversary of their relations this year. To mark the occasion the Asean - South Korea Commemorative Summit 2014 will be organised in Busan City in December.
South Korea is now the second largest investor in Asean member countries. Korea is also the second largest trading partner with Asean countries. The trade values hit US$135.3 billion while Asean's surplus was US$ 28.7 billion.
“The trade value in Asean countries is set to increase to US$150 billion in 2015,” Ms Chung, Eui -hae Cecilia said.
Laos is one of the Asean member countries in which South Korea has shown interest in investing in. From 1988 to the present, South Korea invested in over 290 projects with the total value of investment reaching some US$751,072,000, according to the Investment Promotion Department of the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
Apa rt from investment, more Korean people will visit Asean countries next year as interest in the region grows, she said. Asean countries will become the No.1 tourist destination for Korean people in the years ahead.
In 2013, so me 4.6 million Korean people visited Asean countries. Over 80,000 Korean people visited Laos and the number of Korean people vis iting Laos will increase in the future. Meanwhile more than 5,500 Lao people visited Korea in 2013.
Among Asean countries, Thailand is the number one tourist destination for Korean people. More than 1.2 million Korean people visited Thailand last year. The Philippines is the second most popular Asean country for Korean people. More than 4,000 Korean people visited Brunei and over 18,000 people travelled to Myanmar.
Laos and South Korea have established direct flights between Vientiane and Seoul as well as other destinations in Korea. At present, there are no daily flights between Vientiane and Incheon but there may be in the future.
South Kore a has invested in many areas in Vientiane including Korean restaurants. There are many Korean restaurants in the capital at present to serve Korean tourists and local people.
vientiane times
