During the meeting, Kang expressed grave condemnation of North Korea's defiant ballistic missile launches and other provocations and informed them of Seoul's plans to make a stern response to them, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The foreign minister then urged the Latin American countries to support Seoul's efforts to lay down a message on the issue in a declaration to be adopted after the ongoing forum intended to bridge the East Asia and Latin America regions, the ministry said.

At the conclusion of the FEALAC on Thursday, Seoul is aiming to adopt a so-called "Busan Declaration" where it seeks to secure the two regions' support for the country's policy initiative to peacefully solve the North Korean nuclear problem and build permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula, according to the ministry. (Yonhap)