SELAMAT Sejahtera!
It is deeply meaningful for me to visit Malaysia as my first destination among Asean countries since taking office as President of the Republic of Korea in June. On my previous visit, I was impressed by Malaysia’s rich cultural diversity and the warmth and sincerity of its people. I am truly delighted to return and look forward to meeting the Malaysian people once again.
Rooted in a rich blend of Malay, Chinese, Indian and Islamic traditions, Malaysia has flourished by embracing diversity and boldly meeting new challenges with confidence. It is therefore no surprise that the country now stands not only as a regional manufacturing powerhouse but also as a key hub in the global high-tech supply chain, particularly in semiconductors.
This year marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Malaysia. For decades, Korea has been a key partner in Malaysia’s Look East Policy.
The establishment of the Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s official visit to Korea last year was a significant milestone in opening a brighter shared future.
Through my first summit with the Prime Minister, I look forward to building strong momentum to deepen practical cooperation in key sectors such as trade and investment, infrastructure and defence.
The Korea-Malaysia relationship, built on mutual trust, also serves as a strong foundation for advancing Korea-Asean ties.
Malaysia has played a vital role in Asean’s development. Many of Asean’s key frameworks, including the Asean-Korea Summit, Asean+3 Summit and East Asia Summit, were established under Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship.
The Asean Community Vision 2045, adopted in Kuala Lumpur in May, will guide Asean toward an ambitious and inclusive future. Korea will continue to deepen cooperation with Asean based on respect for Asean centrality, and I hope Malaysia will continue to play a leading role in this process.
I am committed to advancing the Korea-Asean Comprehensive Strategic Partnership based on three guiding aspirations: to be a Contributor for Dreams and Hope, a Springboard for Growth and Innovation and a Partner for Peace and Stability.
At the upcoming Asean-Korea Summit, I will share this vision with Asean leaders and seek their cooperation in realising it.
Korea will first strive to be a contributor to the dreams and hopes of Asean’s people. Each year, nearly 10 million Koreans visit Asean states – more than any other region – and countless Asean citizens have forged lasting ties with Korea, helping deepen our partnership.
A shining example is Malaysian entrepreneur Wan Hafizah, known as Chef Ustazah. Through the Asean-Korea Cooperation Fund’s IDEAS project supporting women entrepreneurs, she adopted TikTok-based digital marketing, boosted sales by 1,000%, and now aims to enter the global market.
Similarly, young talents from Asean, including Malaysia, are finding mega success in K-pop – from Thailand’s Lisa of Blackpink and singer/rapper Ten of SM Entertainment to Vietnam’s Hanni of NewJeans, and Malaysia’s own Lingling of Kiiras.
Their journeys symbolise how shared creativity and exchange can connect Korea and Asean ever more closely and our government will continue to help by lowering barriers and enhancing institutional frameworks.
Korea will also serve as a springboard for Asean’s growth and innovation. As a first step, at the Asean-Korea Summit, I plan to propose an ambitious goal of achieving an annual trade volume of US$300bil (RM1.27 trillion) between Korea and Asean, and launch negotiations to further upgrade the Korea-Asean Free Trade Agreement.
Korea will pave the way for “innovative and dynamic” growth through greater collaboration in key future industries including AI, digital transformation, health and energy, as well as through intensified human resource development and technology cooperation.
A meaningful step in advancing these endeavours is the ongoing region-wide process to run a Korea-Asean Digital Academy – with one in Malaysia soon be to launched.
Furthermore, Korea seeks to become a partner for peace and stability. As a reliable partner of Asean, Korea will play a more active role in addressing regional security challenges, including transnational crime, disasters and maritime security.
In this context, Korea will also deepen its cooperation with regional institutions such as Aseanapol and the Asean Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre), and also expand exchange in the area of maritime security. I am confident that these efforts by Korea will make significant contributions to ensuring peace and stability across the region.
This year, Malaysia as the Chair of Asean, and Korea as the Chair of Apec stand as two pivotal pillars at the forefront in regional cooperation for inclusive and sustainable growth.
Anwar‘s Madani Vision and the theme of Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship 2025 “Inclusivity and Sustainability” are closely in line with the theme of the upcoming 2025 Apec Leaders’ Meeting in Gyeongju, Korea, “Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect, Innovate, Prosper.”
As founding members of Apec, the two countries will gather together once again here in Korea. I look forward to sharing insights on building a sustainable future we both envision, including key priorities of the Apec Summit such as cooperation on artificial intelligence and addressing demographic shifts.
The Republic of Korea, as a country which reclaimed its democracy through the determination and untiring efforts of the Korean people, is striving to emerge as a responsible global power that pragmatically responds to the changing world order, well fulfilling its responsibilities and roles. Malaysia and Asean are key partners in our journey toward realising this vision.
I hope my visit to Malaysia will serve as a catalyst linking the Korea-Malaysia Strategic Partnership and the Korea–Asean Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, guiding us together toward a future of peace, prosperity, and shared promise.
