SEOUL, 24 March 2015 – Philippine Ambassador to Korea Raul S. Hernandez received Ambassador Kim Young-sun, the new Secretary General of the ASEAN-Korea Centre, during the latter’s courtesy call at the Philippine Embassy in Seoul on Tuesday, 23 March 2015.

“I am confident that the relationship between Korea and ASEAN will be strengthened and broadened in your incumbency as the head of the ASEAN-Korea Center”, Ambassador Hernandez said, congratulating Ambassador Kim on his appointment as the AKC’s third Secretary General for a three-year term on 13 March 2015. A just recently retired career diplomat, Secretary General Kim told Ambassador Hernandez that the “relations between Korea and the ASEAN member counties are getting bigger and bigger” and that his role is "to represent the collective interests of the ASEAN member countries to the Republic of Korea and pursue our common goals.” At his inauguration earlier this month, Ambassador Kim called “a great honor” his assumption of AKC leadership, in view of the launch of the ASEAN Economic Community at yearend. “Building on the Centre’s laudable achievements during the last six years, I will do my best to further the Centre’s efforts in advancing ASEAN-Korea relations to a higher level.” “With ASEAN having become a core cooperation partner, I will place emphasis on promoting work programs to raise awareness of ASEAN among the public and on propelling creative work programs that enable shared growth and co-prosperity for the two regions,” he added. Secretary General Kim announced that he will accompany a delegation of Korean buyers to the International Food Exhibition(IFEX) Philippines which will be held at the SMX Convention Center. Established in Seoul on March 2009, the ASEAN-Korea Center is mandated to increase trade volume, accelerate investment flow, invigorate tourism and enrich cultural and people-to-people exchange between Korea and ASEAN. –END–