内容摘要：President Park Geun-hye arrived in Malaysia on Friday to attend a series of regional summits where s

President Park Geun-hye arrived in Malaysia on Friday to attend a series of regional summits where she is expected to press North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons and call for wider economic cooperation with member countries.

Park is set to attend a summit Saturday between ASEAN and its three Northeast Asian dialogue partners South Korea, China and Japan, followed by the annual East Asia Summit to discuss regional and international strategic issues on Sunday.

President Park Geun-hye passes by an honor guard after arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Friday. Yonhap

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.

The leaders are expected to review progress of their cooperation in economics, finance and science, and to discuss how to pursue cooperation in the future, according to Cheong Wa Dae.

Separately, Park is set to meet with Australia’s new Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on the sidelines of the summit.

On Sunday, Park will meet leaders of the EAS, composed of ASEAN plus its eight dialogue partners ― South Korea, China, Japan, the U.S., Russia, Australia, India and New Zealand.

Park plans to ask for cooperation from the EAS to help resolve the dispute over North Korea’s nuclear program, and seek support for her vision of peaceful unification through trust building.

She is also expected to meet U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who was invited to the EAS as the head of the international organization. Expectations are high for Park and Ban’s encounter after the U.N. recently admitted the South Korea-born chief’s planned visit to Pyongyang. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Thursday that discussions were underway about Ban’s willingness to play a constructive role on the Korean Peninsula, “including traveling there.”

The presidential office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have remained mum over Ban’s possible visit, as it has not been confirmed yet. With Seoul taking a cautious stance, it may be difficult for Park and Ban to have a separate dialogue on North Korea.

Park also plans to hold a meeting with her counterparts from ASEAN countries.

Kuala Lumpur is the third and last stop on her 10-day tour, which previously brought her to Turkey for the summit of the Group of 20 advanced and emerging economies.

In Manila, Park and other leaders of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum strongly condemned terrorism and supported a free trade area in the region at their annual summit.

Park said Thursday that efforts for economic integration should lead to the realization of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific.

South Korea was announced as the host of the 2025 APEC forum.

By Cho Chung-un, news reports (christory@heraldcorp.com)