The senior officials of ASEAN and the Republic of Korea met for the first time in Seoul from 21 to 22 August 1989. They had a frank and extensive exchange of views on matters related to the promotion of cooperative ties between ASEAN and the Republic of Korea. This Meeting was held a result of the favourable response given by ASEAN Foreign Ministers during their 22nd Annual Ministerial Meeting on 3 to 4 July 1989 in Bandar Seri Begawan to the formal proposal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea for the establishment of sectoral dialogue relations in the field of trade, investment and tourism.

The ASEAN side consisted of the delegates from six member countries and the ASEAN Secretariat led by His Excellency Haji Yusof from Brunei Darussalam, His Excellency Mr. Husni Thamrin Pane from Indonesia, His Excellency Dato' Ajit Singh from Malaysia, His Excellency Mrs. Solita Aguirre from the Philippines, His Excellency Mr. K. Kesavapany from Singapore, His Excellency Mr. Suchati Chuthasmit from Thailand and His Excellency Mr. Rusli Noor, the current Secretary-General of the ASEAN Secretariat. They also paid a courtesy call on His Excellency Choi Ho-Joong the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea prior to the commencement of the meeting.

The delegation of the Republic of Korea consisted of senior officials from the Foreign Affairs, Economic Planning, Finance, Trade and Industry, Transportation and Science and Technology Ministries was led by His Excellency Mr. Hong Soon Young, the Assistant Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs.

The Meeting was co-chaired by His Excellency Mr. Husni Thamrin Pane and His Excellency Mr. Hong Soon Young. In the opening statements, both expressed the desire to develop closer cooperation between ASEAN and ROK through the sectoral dialogue relationship.

The ASEAN side relied on the decision of the Third Meeting of the ASEAN Heads of Government in Manila in December 1987 regarding the desirability of creating the sectoral dialogue relationship focussing on some specific and clearly defined areas of cooperation so as to intensify mutual cooperative efforts for mutual benefits. This concept of sectoral dialogue relationship was acknowledged by ASEAN and the Republic of Korea as an appropriate tool to strengthen the economic ties between the two sides. The Meeting discussed various aspects of the agreed areas of cooperation in trade, investment and tourism and agreed that further details would have to be worked out.

Regarding the machinery to facilitate the agreed sectoral relations, both sides agreed to set up a inter-governmental consultative body consisting of senior officials of ASEAN and ROK, which shall meet once a year. And to maintain a regular channel of communications, ASEAN would designate one of its member countries to coordinate with the Republic of Korea as well as setting up on ASEAN Committee in Seoul comprising the heads of ASEAN missions accredited to the Republic of Korea to facilitate the conducting of the sectoral relations.

Both sides agreed that the sectoral dialogue should be formally established by an exchange of letters between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia who is the current Chairman of the ASEAN Standing Committee at a venue and date to be mutually agreed upon.

Upon the formal establishment of the sectoral dialogue relations, the Republic of Korea will become the latest Dialogue Partner of ASEAN. At present, ASEAN has dialogue relationship with Australia, the EC, Japan, New Zealand, Canada, the US and UNDP.