By UN Journal Lee Jon-young

President Lee Jae-myung held his first summit with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on October 27. 

President Lee expressed his deep gratitude for his visit to Malaysia, the ASEAN chair this year and a long-standing friendly nation, as his first ASEAN country since taking office.

Prime Minister Anwar expressed his gratitude for President Lee's visit, despite his busy schedule preparing for the APEC summit.

Prime Minister Anwar further expressed his appreciation for President Lee's visit to Malaysia, saying it will provide a significant impetus for advancing Korea-Malaysia and Korea-ASEAN relations to the next level.

The two leaders welcomed the conclusion of the Korea-Malaysia FTA negotiations during the summit and expressed their hope that this will further expand trade and investment between the two countries as key economic partners in the region, as well as accelerate cooperation in strategic industries such as digital and AI.

Prime Minister Anwar stated, "South Korea is a trustworthy and important partner in strengthening Malaysia's defense capabilities," and expressed his hope that the signing of the defense industry MOU would strengthen cooperation with South Korea in this area.

The two leaders shared the view that the two countries have significant potential for cooperation in future-oriented areas, including the defense industry, smart infrastructure, and energy transition, and agreed to further expand their areas of cooperation.

Meanwhile, President Lee requested Malaysia's support and cooperation for the South Korean government's efforts to usher in a new era of peaceful coexistence and shared growth on the Korean Peninsula.

Prime Minister Anwar responded by expressing support for the South Korean government's policy on the Korean Peninsula and promising to actively cooperate with the international community, including ASEAN, to ensure that South Korea's efforts to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula bear fruit.

The two leaders expressed respect for each other's experiences and national visions in democracy and socio-economic development. They expressed their hope to further develop bilateral relations based on the friendship and trust between the two leaders and expressed their anticipation for continued exchanges between the two leaders.