Korea, Malaysia establish strategic partnership at summit in Seoul

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Korea, Malaysia establish strategic partnership at summit in Seoul

Published: 25 Nov. 2024, 16:54 Updated: 25 Nov. 2024, 18:38

LIM JEONG-WON
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pose for a photo ahead of their summit held at the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul on Monday. [YONHAP]

South Korea and Malaysia established a strategic partnership on Monday, ahead of the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries next year.

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim held a summit at the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul, on Monday and announced a joint statement urging strengthened cooperation in areas such as political affairs and security, the economy, culture, education and tourism and regional and international affairs.

Yoon and Anwar reviewed the close cooperative relationship established in various fields since South Korea and Malaysia began diplomatic relations in 1960 and agreed to expand cooperation to “new horizons” to promote “freedom, peace and prosperity,” according to the joint statement.

In particular, the strategic partnership is expected to bolster security cooperation between South Korea and Malaysia in the defense industry and national defense.

“Under the recognition that defense industry cooperation is a symbol of mutual trust based on a solid strategic partnership, we will continue to seek ways to cooperate in research and development, military technology and the defense industry,” Yoon and Anwar said in the joint statement. “Recognizing the importance of regular exchanges between defense authorities, we agreed to further strengthen defense cooperation based on the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on defense cooperation signed in 2022.”

Specifically, the two leaders agreed to strengthen defense industry cooperation based on last year's contract to introduce 18 South Korean FA-50 light attack aircraft to Malaysia.

The Malaysian side requested South Korean companies’ participation and interest in defense industry projects, including a second program to replace the country's light attack aircraft fleet.

In the economic sector, Yoon and Anwar agreed to accelerate negotiations to conclude an FTA by 2025.

The two leaders also agreed on the importance of cooperation in economic security, such as supply chain resilience. South Korea agreed to sign an inter-agency core mineral cooperation MOU with Malaysia, a country with key minerals, to promote a stable core mineral supply chain.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, far left, speaks during a summit with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the presidential office in Yongsan, central Seoul on Monday. [YONHAP]

Yoon and Anwar also confirmed their intention to expand research and development and technology exchanges focusing on promoting an investment environment in line with ESG (environment, society and governance) principles, fourth industrial revolution technologies, digital economy and green policies.

Seoul’s presidential office said the scope of energy cooperation, which had centered on liquefied natural gas (LNG), has expanded to future industries such as renewable energy and greenhouse gas reduction, signifying that South Korea and Malaysia have become partners advancing together toward a high value-added green economy.

Additionally, the two leaders reviewed bilateral cooperation in education focused on Malaysia’s Look East Policy, which aims to learn from South Korea and Japan, and agreed to strengthen cooperation in education in the public and private sectors.

Yoon and Anwar also shared their views on the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, including military cooperation between North Korea and Russia and Pyongyang’s continued provocations.

The two leaders condemned North Korea’s ballistic missile launches, including the test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Oct. 31 this year, and its use of ballistic missile technology, and strongly urged Pyongyang to refrain from additional provocations and unlawful acts.

They also called for the “complete, verifiable and irreversible” abandonment of North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.

The South Korean president and Malaysian Prime Minister also expressed concern over deepening North Korea-Russia military cooperation.

Malaysia welcomed South Korea’s efforts, including the “bold vision” for a denuclearized, peaceful and prosperous Korean Peninsula and the August 15 Unification Doctrine.

Yoon and Anwar also emphasized the importance of addressing the international community's human rights and humanitarian concerns, such as the immediate resolution of abduction and detainee issues.

The two leaders also agreed to strengthen cooperation based on the principles of the Asean Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) in recognition that creating a free, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific is in the common interests of both countries.

Anwar is visiting Korea for the first time since taking office in November 2022. This is the first visit by a Malaysian prime minister to South Korea in five years since former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad in 2019.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [[email protected]]