3 December 2014 – A close aide and adviser to South Korean President Park Geun-hye met with the heads and leading representatives of the Seoul-based diplomatic missions of the ASEAN member states on November 17 to discuss the final arrangements for the ASEAN-Korea Commemorative Summit in Busan next month.

Speaking on behalf of the ASEAN Committee in Seoul (ACS), Philippine Ambassador to South Korea Raul S. Hernandez expressed appreciation for the invitation by Senior Adviser for Political Affairs Cho Yoon-sun, a presidential Blue House (Cheong Wa Dae) insider, for the “timely” luncheon held at traditional Korean restaurant Bicenain Itaewon.

 “Today we welcome this unique opportunity not only to hear directly from you the view from, but also to express our perspectives to Cheong Wa Dae, as it is quite well known that you work closely with President Park,” Ambassador Hernandez said, referring to the preparations for the Summit that will be held from December 11 to12.

Six ambassadors and three chargé d’affaires attended the luncheon.

On November 5, the Summit’s Preparatory Office Secretary General Choi Jong-moon also met with the ASEAN ambassadors to discuss the status of Summit preparations.  

Senior Adviser Cho, who served as President Park’s Minister for Gender Equality and Family until her appointment to her current post in June this year, will handle the special program for the spouses of the heads of state and government.

She took on a similar role of attending to the popular Chinese First Lady Peng Liyuan during the highly successful visit of President Xi Jinping to South Korea in early July this year. END