Philippines Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro poses with other leaders during the High-Level Conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines, July 24, 2026. (Photo: Aaron Favila/Pool via REUTERS)
Philippines Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro poses with other leaders during the High-Level Conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines, July 24, 2026. (Photo: Aaron Favila/Pool via REUTERS)

Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Eui-hye made the remarks while attending a meeting of the parties to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia in Manila, the Philippines, on Friday.

As a party to the treaty and a maritime nation, South Korea remains committed to supporting an ASEAN-centered regional architecture, Chung said. She stressed that the principles of international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), must be fully respected in all maritime areas, including the South China Sea.

The Korean Foreign Ministry said Chung’s statement once again reflected South Korea's consistent position in support of a rules-based maritime order, freedom of navigation and overflight, and the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law.