Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries and South Korea held their summit Sunday to discuss cooperation in fighting harder against transnational crimes and boosting technical and cultural exchanges.

In her opening statement, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, president of the Philippines which now assumes the rotating chairmanship of ASEAN, expressed the 10-member regional grouping's solidarity with South Korea and its people in their efforts to exhaust all peaceful means to keep the Korean Peninsula nuclear-free and this region safe and secure.

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun asked for ASEAN's cooperation in holding a senior officials' meeting aimed at preventing transnational crimes, which was launched this year between South Korea and ASEAN, according to Yoon Seung-yong, spokesman for the presidential office.

Roh also called for the regional support of Korea's initiative to prevent drug trafficking, which will be enforced for two years starting 2007, Yoon said.

Other agenda Roh proposed to the ASEAN leaders included cooperation in the exchange of information and communication technology as well as boosting cultural ties between South Korea and the region.

Roh also expressed South Korea's support for ASEAN's efforts to narrow the differences of development levels in the region and its initiative for integration, his spokesman said.

Source: Xinhua