The 7th East Asia Forum was held at the Grand Hyatt Seoul Hotel on September 1-2 with some 70 government officials, business leaders and scholars from the ten ASEAN member countries, Korea, China and Japan.

The Korean delegation was led by 1st Vice Foreign Minister Kwon Jong-rak.

The Forum consisted of a Plenary Session attended by the entire group of participants and smaller working-group sessions of government, business and academia under the theme, “Accelerating the Integration of East Asian Community Building.”

In his keynote speech (for full text refer to attached file below) delivered at the opening ceremony on September 2, 1st Vice Foreign Minister Kwon Jong-rak emphasized the Korean government’s commitment to contribute to the establishment of an East Asian community through the implementation of its “New Asia Initiative.”
 

In the Plenary Session chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Yong-joon, the top delegates from the participating countries exchanged in-depth views on specific ways toward the establishment of an East Asian community.

Measures discussed include strengthening cooperation among East Asian countries, aimed at addressing the global financial crisis, climate change, food and energy security, and other international challenges; integrating regional economies; and expanding people-to-people exchange.

The Korean government, the host of the inaugural East Asia Forum in 2003, has been taking a leading part in the operation of the Forum. The Forum is held annually between ASEAN countries and Korea, China and Japan.

The next East Asia Forum will be held in Vietnam.