The ASEAN Regional Forum convenes at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila on Thursday. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs]
The ASEAN Regional Forum convenes at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila on Thursday. [Ministry of Foreign Affairs]

Participating states at the ASEAN Regional Forum adopted a chair's statement expressing concern over North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and calling for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and a resumption of dialogue.

The statement from the ARF meeting held Thursday in Manila was released Saturday. North Korea skipped the meeting for the second consecutive year, while South Korea, the United States, Japan, China and Russia all attended.

"The meeting expressed serious concern that the continued development of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs in violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions constitutes a concerning development that threatens regional peace and stability," the statement said. It added that the meeting "called for the full implementation of all relevant UN Security Council resolutions and noted the efforts of the international community to pursue the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner."

The statement also said diplomatic efforts — including creating a conducive environment for peaceful dialogue among all relevant parties — must remain a top priority. It reaffirmed that the forum stands ready to play a constructive role, including through ASEAN-led platforms such as the ARF, in fostering a favorable atmosphere for peaceful dialogue among the parties concerned.

The phrase "complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula" was retained in this year's statement, as it was last year. CVID (complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization), which had been specified in statements through 2024, is a formulation North Korea has long rejected. The use of the softer "complete denuclearization" language appears to reflect the South Korean government's policy direction of seeking improved relations to advance progress on the North Korean nuclear issue. On the question of inter-Korean dialogue, the statement has referred to a "resumption of dialogue" since last year, reflecting the reality that communication between the two Koreas has broken down.

Meanwhile, on the South China Sea, the statement said parties "looked forward to continuing efforts to conclude negotiations on an effective and substantive Code of Conduct consistent with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea within this year." On the Middle East, the statement expressed "serious concern over the rapidly evolving situation in the region, particularly the resumed hostilities between the United States and Iran," and said it "supports diplomatic efforts to bring lasting and permanent peace to the Middle East."


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