Phnom Penh: The 12th ASEAN and South Korean Transport Ministers Meeting was held via video conference and co-chaired by Cambodian Senior Minister Sun Chanthol with the Korean Vice-Minister of Transport Seong Kyu Hwang. In his opening remarks, Senior Minister Sun Chanthol, who was also the meeting’s Chairman, highlighted the extensive support provided by the Korea to ASEAN nations amidst the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the contribution to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund, as well as cooperation on production and distribution of vaccines for Covid-19.

Sun Chanthol has also stated that Korea has played an active role in the ASEAN Transport Strategic Plan (ATSP) by the implementation of numerous projects under the ASEAN-ROK Transport Cooperation Roadmaps, including human resource development, Infrastructure Feasibility Studies, and the Technology and Management Program of 2021.

The Senior Minister extended his appreciation to the Republic of Korea for the generous support in building the Cambodia Air Traffic

Training Center and upgrading the National Road No. 48, which forms ASEAN Highway 123. He has also briefed the participants on various projects currently being implemented in the Kingdom, which includes forty projects under ASEAN-ROK Transport Cooperation Roadmap 2021-2025 and two projects carried from the ASEAN-ROK Transport Cooperation Roadmap 2018-2020.

In his closing remarks, Sun Chanthol endorsed the ASEAN-ROK Transport Cooperation Roadmap 2021-2025 and updated the outcomes of the negotiation for the ASEAN-ROK Air Services Agreement, expected to be implemented in the coming years. Both counterparts believe that with strong commitment and collective efforts, the roadmap will be carried out successfully in a timely manner.