Malaysia, South Korea boost defense industry ties

Reuters

Malaysia and South Korea have agreed to cooperate in supplying critical minerals from Malaysia’s reserves and to boost defense industry cooperation as the Southeast Asian country seeks to upgrade its Air Force jets.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol also affirmed their commitment to conclude a free trade agreement by 2025, Yoon’s office said.

Seoul invited continued interest from Kuala Lumpur as Malaysia embarks on a project to replace light fighter jets, after a 2023 contract to supply 18 jets valued at $920 million, according to a statement.

In a joint declaration after their November 2024 summit in Seoul, the leaders pledged to broaden the scope of collaboration in a wide range of areas as the countries commemorate 65 years of diplomatic ties.

“I hope the bilateral cooperation would expand beyond trade, investment and people-to-people exchanges to include defense, the arms industry and emerging fields, such as green hydrogen and key minerals,” Yoon said, according to the Yonhap News Agency.

Anwar identified new areas of collaboration, including artificial intelligence and digital technologies, alongside regional security, the defense industry and economic partnerships.

Anwar and Yoon highlighted defense industry cooperation as a “symbol of mutual trust” under the nations’ strategic partnership and agreed to advance collaboration in research and development, and defense technologies, according to Yoon’s office.

The countries also agreed to establish an institutional foundation to cooperate on climate change, including for a previously signed agreement on a carbon capture and storage project, which is scheduled to launch in 2029.

The leaders expressed concern over the deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia and condemned North Korea’s ballistic missile launches.

They urged Pyongyang to refrain from additional provocations, abide by United Nations Security Council resolutions and commit to the “complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization” of North Korea.