The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has proposed beginning free trade agreement negotiations with South Korea next year and completing them by 2007.

The Foreign Ministry said Monday the proposal was made at a meeting of trade ministers from the two sides in Jakarta on Saturday.

During the meeting, ASEAN economic ministers also proposed eliminating tariffs on non-sensitive trade items by the end of 2009.

So far, the two sides have held five rounds of talks to assess each other's plans related to an FTA following an agreement last October by their leaders to come up with a joint report on the feasibility of a trade pact.