By Ryu Jin
Korea Times Correspondent


VIENTIANE - South Korea and the Southeast Asian trade bloc agreed Tuesday to commence negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) starting early 2005, with the goal of finishing the task within two years.

In a summit meeting in the Laotian capital, President Roh Moo-hyun and leaders of the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed the ``Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Cooperation Partnership Between South Korea And ASEAN,’’ which focuses on economic cooperation between the two sides.

``The ASEAN-South Korea Free Trade Area will be realized at an earlier date, with a goal of achieving as high a level of liberalization as possible, whereby at least 80 percent of products will have zero tariffs in 2009,’’ the joint statement said.

South Korea, which ratified its first FTA with Chile in April this year, basically concluded its second with Singapore in a bilateral summit on Monday on the sidelines of the two-day ASEAN+3 summit. The annual summit involves the 10 Southeast Asian nations and South Korea, China and Japan.

China concluded an FTA with ASEAN earlier this year, bringing the two sides one step closer towards the goal of establishing the world’s largest free trading area in the coming years.

In the joint declaration commemorating the 15th anniversary of the dialogue relations, South Korea and the 10 ASEAN nations agreed to develop a strategic framework for a ``more comprehensive, action-oriented and forward-looking partnership.’’

They also decided to strengthen political and security cooperation through high-level contacts and people-to-people exchanges at the level of officials and by intensifying dialogue through existing mechanisms.

In particular, ASEAN said it supports the efforts of South Korea and other concerned parties toward the maintenance of peace and security on the Korean peninsula and the region, and hopes for the early resumption of the six-party talks to achieve the denuclearization of the peninsula peacefully through dialogue.

Roh and leaders from the 10 countries agreed that a detailed ``Plan of Action’’ will be developed by their ministers for consideration and adoption at the South Korea-ASEAN summit in 2005 in Malaysia.

After a luncheon meeting hosted by Laotian President Khamtay Siphandone, Roh left Vientiane for London by chartered plane for a state visit to the United Kingdom. He was to arrive early Wednesday morning.

While in London, Roh will hold a summit with Prime Minister Tony Blair to discuss the North Korean nuclear crisis and ways to boost cooperation in finance, science and technology.

As a guest of the British royal family, he will also meet with Queen Elizabeth II, who will host a welcoming ceremony and a luncheon for Roh on Wednesday and a dinner on Thursday.

After the London itinerary, he will also visit Poland and France before returning home on Dec. 8.

jinryu@koreatimes.co.kr