Representatives from 27 countries continue to meet in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi on Friday on the last day of the Association of South East Asian Nations meeting.

ASEAN foreign ministers as well as those from Japan, South Korea, China and North Korea gathered to discuss regional security issues.

The meeting in Vietnam comes just days after Washington imposed more sanctions on North Korea. U.S. officials are expected to seek regional support for Seoul, which has sought repercussions for the sinking of a South Korean warship.

Also a hot topic… six-party international talks that are aimed at shutting down the North's nuclear weapons program in return for generous aid.

After North Korea last year conducted its second nuclear test, Washington and others pushed for Pyongyang to return to negotiations, which include North and South Korea and regional powers China, Japan, the United States and Russia.