SEOUL, JULY 6, 2026 — Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
The Vice Minister for ASEAN Affairs and ASEAN–Timor-Leste Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) Leader, Ms. Milena Rangel, met in Seoul with the Secretary-General of the ASEAN–Korea Centre (AKC), His Excellency Mr. Kim Jae-shin, to explore opportunities for continued cooperation within the ASEAN–Republic of Korea framework in support of Timor-Leste’s ASEAN integration.
During the meeting, the Vice Minister expressed appreciation for the Republic of Korea and the ASEAN–Korea Centre’s continued commitment to supporting Timor-Leste. Both sides underscored the importance of sustained engagement as Timor-Leste advances its integration across ASEAN’s political-security, economic, and socio-cultural pillars, building on the momentum of its accession as the Association’s eleventh member state.
Both sides explored opportunities for collaboration in human resource development, institutional cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges to strengthen Timor-Leste’s effective participation in ASEAN and, in particular, within the ASEAN–Korea Comprehensive Strategic Partnership relations. The discussion reflects the broader effort to align Timor-Leste’s institutional capacity with ASEAN’s standards and working procedures as the country assumes its responsibilities as a full member state.
