Asean-Korea Centre to assist AEC development
Asean-Korea Centre to assist AEC development
Seoul, South Korean: Asean-Korean Centre has expressed interest in helping newer Asean members establish their National Single Windows, one of the important measures which nations need to carry out to construct the Asean Economic Community (AEC).
Speaking to Asean media in Seoul on Monday, the Asean-Korean Centre Secretary General, Mr Kim Young Sun said that he'd met with Asean customs officials to discuss how his centre could get involved in helping Asean members to speed up development of the National Single Window.
“We are looking at what we can do. One of the options is to help increase capacity building of the new Asean countries,” he said, adding that establishment of the National Single Window would speed up customs clearance across the region.
The National Single Window is one of the 500 measures, which all Asean members have to implement in order to construct the AEC, which will be officially launched on December 31 this year. The ultimate goal of the AEC is to make the Asean region a single market and production base where goods, investment funds and labour are allowed to flow freely.
A Lao foreign trade policy maker, Mr Sayasana Sayakone told Vientiane Times recently some Asean members including Laos would not be able to implement the National Single Window before the AEC's establishment due to the country's lack of experience in implementing these new measures.
Responding to questions what the Asean- Korea Centre could do to narrow the development gap in Asean countries, Mr Kim Young Sun said it was not just about infrastructure but also knowledge, adding that training staff in the new Asean member countries would be one of the options, which his centre could do.
Korea Foundation Executive Vice President of Finance and Operations, Mr Kim Gwang Keun said that South Korea viewed Asean as its second largest trading partner; therefore it was necessary for the two economies to enhance cooperation.
He added that Asean also acted as a transit path for Korean trade with India and Middle Eastern countries, which supply oil and gas to drive South Korea's economy, adding that Asean would play a greater role in driving the regional economy.
Some 27 media personnel from 10 Asean member countries are visiting South Korea from November 15-21 where they are exploring deeper understanding of Korean history, culture, the economy and its relations with Asean countries aimed at fostering friendship and cooperation between Asean and South Korea.
The visit of Asean media to South Korea has been made possible by financial support from the Korea Foundation. The theme of the visit is the Second Asean-ROK Next Generation Opinion Leaders Programme.
