Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 28) — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Friday expressed “grave concern” on increased tension in the Korean Peninsula, citing Pyongyang’s two nuclear tests in 2016 and ballistic missile launches.
In a statement released during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the 10-member regional bloc said instability in the Korean Peninsula “seriously impacts the region and beyond,” as it strongly urged North Korea to fully comply with all relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council and international laws to maintain international peace and security.
“ASEAN also urges the DPRK and all parties concerned to exercise self restraint in order to de-escalate the tension and refrain from actions that may aggravate the situation,” the statement said.
The foreign ministers expressed support for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, calling for the resumption of dialogue on the issue to defuse tensions and create conditions conducive to peace and stability.
The statement comes amid reports that North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho wrote the ASEAN secretary general asking for support in its row with the United States over its nuclear program. This is to prevent a “nuclear holocaust,” he said in a letter.
There are also reports that the Bangkok-based North Korean ambassador came to Manila and asked officials involved in the ASEAN summit for support, especially in drafting the portion on the Korean Peninsula situation in the chairman’s statement. The document will be released after the leaders meet on April 29.
In an ambush interview, Foreign Affairs Spokesman Robespierre Bolivar did not deny the report.
“I cannot say personally if he came, but if he was accredited here in the Philippines, then that’s part of his role as ambassador,” he said. “But I cannot say for certain if he actually came, or when he came.”
It’s unclear if ASEAN leaders will also issue a separate statement on the issue, but the Chairman’s statement will likely have a portion on it.
A clear position on the tension in the Korean Peninsula is one of the anticipated issues ASEAN may address by the end of the 30th ASEAN Summit on Saturday.
