Seoul: South Korea's Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Eui-hae on Wednesday urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to back efforts for resuming dialogue with North Korea, as stated by the foreign ministry. Chung made this appeal during a luncheon meeting with ambassadors from 11 ASEAN member states stationed in Seoul, including Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines.

According to Yonhap News Agency, during the meeting, Chung expressed gratitude towards ASEAN leaders for their support of President Lee Jae Myung's "END" initiative. This initiative aims to end hostility and foster peace with North Korea, a stance highlighted during the ASEAN-related summit held in October.

The "END" initiative, which stands for "exchange," "normalization," and "denuclearization," was introduced by President Lee as a pivotal policy direction towards North Korea during his address at the U.N. General Assembly in September. Chung emphasized South Korea's commitment to further strengthening its comprehensive strategic partnership with ASEAN. This includes expanding people-to-people exchanges and enhancing cooperation in trade and security, as noted by the ministry.