South Korea has launched a diplomatic mission to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The South Korean mission on Monday held a signboard hanging ceremony at its office in Jakarta, Indonesia and started operations.

Baek Seong-taek, the first Korean ambassador to ASEAN, said that the establishment of the mission reflects Seoul’s new policy of valuing the Asian region. He vowed efforts to expand national interests by participating in discussions at the various organizations.

For the ten member nations making up ASEAN, South Korea has become the fourth country to have a diplomatic mission to ASEAN after the U.S., Japan and China. South Korea set up the mission under the agreement at its summit with ASEAN in Bali last November.

ASEAN is actively seeking to build a single economic bloc in 2015.