South Korea has called for stronger regional cooperation in energy markets and supply chains to counter disruptions caused by the ongoing Middle East conflict. Ryu Ho-kwon, a senior official from Seoul's foreign ministry, made the appeal at a conference of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP, an intergovernmental body promoting regional economic cooperation) in Bangkok on Monday. Ryu warned of the conflict's impact on Asia-Pacific maritime routes and global supply chains, and separately met with ESCAP's secretary-general to discuss expanding South Korea's engagement with the UN body.