My warm welcome to you, Minister Maris(마릿), and your delegation.

I am delighted to see you again here in Seoul following our meeting in Vientiane last week during the ASEAN-related Foreign Ministers’ Meetings last week. Your visit is especially meaningful as it is your first official visit to Korea as Foreign Minister of Thailand.

Thailand has a very special place in my heart as Bangkok is where I started my overseas assignment as a diplomat four decades ago.

Since then, our bilateral trade volume has grown 40 fold, remarkable increase indeed.

Our relationship has now grown to become a ‘Strategic Partnership’ - a partnership that is continuously growing to new heights through the active implementation of the ‘2022-2027 Korea-Thailand Joint Action Plan.’

Today’s meeting will provide an excellent opportunity for us to take stock of the progress made in advancing this plan past couple of years.

Thailand is also a key partner in moving forward the Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative (KASI), our landmark initiative for strengthening the Korea-ASEAN partnership.

We welcome Thailand’s assumption of the role of country coordinator for Korea-ASEAN Dialogue relations starting this month.

I look forward to working closely with you towards the establishment of a ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’ between Korea and ASEAN in October, commemorating the 35th anniversary of our dialogue relations with the ASEAN.

Finally, it would be remiss of me not take this moment to congratulate you on the 72th birthday of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn(마하 와치라롱껀)’s 72nd birthday, though somewhat belatedly.

Welcoming you once again, I very much look forward to holding in-depth and our fruitful discussions today.

The floor is all yours.