Kim Jong Un called for “a new history of peace and prosperity” after becoming the first North Korean leader to enter South Korea to hold talks over his nuclear weapons programme.At 9:30 a.m. local time, a smiling Kim - dressed in a black Mao suit - was greeted by South Korean President Moon Jae-in at Panmunjom village before stepping across a concrete slab marking the border.

Since its inception on the 8th of August 1967, ASEAN has made tremendous strides in promoting peace and stability in the region. This is carried out through an abiding of the rule of law and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter, which allows for all member states to subscribe to its respective aims, principles, and purposes under the banner of a united regional association.

The upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit taking place in Singapore this week will be the 32nd in the association’s history. Apart from all the pomp and splendour of state banquets, red carpet receptions and elbow brushing amongst top regional leaders, there is plenty of work to be achieved during the many high-level meetings at the summit.

As Southeast Asian leaders arrive in Singapore this week for the 32nd ASEAN Summit, the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) today called for the urgent need to tackle human rights concerns and reform in the region.In an open letter to the attending heads of state, the APHR called on Singapore as chair of the grouping this year to pay emphasis to emerging security challenges rooted in the flimsy human rights laws within member states.

This past weekend, Kim Jong-un made the surprising announcement that he would suspend nuclear missile tests with immediate effect. He also declared that he will shut down the site where the previous nuclear tests were conducted. The announcement was made through the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) national news agency, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

When former president of the United States (US), Barack Obama mooted the idea of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) to Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo in 2015, the latter opted for a ‘wait and see’ approach. He expressed his opinion to the architect of the “Pivot to Asia” that the largest economy in Southeast Asia will only join upon the ratification and implementation of the deal by all its current members.

It’s that time of year again. Starting from tomorrow, the heads of state from all 10 ASEAN countries will meet and discuss the biggest issues in the region today. Hosting the ASEAN Summit for the 32nd time is Singapore, the Chairman of ASEAN 2018. The theme of Singapore’s chairmanship is “Resilient and Innovative”, which perfectly encapsulates the attitude ASEAN needs to take in the face of today’s global challenges.

Myanmar State Counsellor and de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi will be skipping the 32nd edition of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit taking place in Singapore this week. This will be her first time missing the summit after coming into power in 2016.According to government spokesperson, Zaw Htay, newly sworn President Win Myint will be taking Suu Kyi’s place. He did not specify the exact reason for her absence at the summit.

As Japan and ASEAN celebrate a bond that is now in its 45th year, the historical foundations and possible benefits of such a partnership ought to be grasped and valued. Japan has always been an important external partner for ASEAN, especially after the establishment of informal dialogue relations in 1973, which was then formalised in 1977. In fact, Japan has been one country that has expressed prolonged support for ASEAN as an institution.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping this week, as relations between the world’s two most-populous countries thaw after a tense border dispute last year.The “informal summit” between Xi and Modi will be held Friday and Saturday in Wuhan, the capital of the central province of Hubei, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Sunday at a news conference with India External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.