South Korea, Malaysia discuss FTA, expanding bilateral cooperation

SEOUL

Malaysia's Petronas Twin Towers are silhouetted during sunset over the Kuala Lumpur skyline in Ampang, in Malaysia's Selangor state on June 12, 2025.

South Korea and Malaysia agreed Monday to work together to expand bilateral cooperation in a "mutually beneficial and substantive" manner, including efforts to conclude a free trade agreement (FTA), a local media report said.

The agreement was reached during a phone call between South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Yonhap News Agency reported.

It marked their first phone talks since Lee assumed the presidency earlier this month.

The two leaders expressed hope to further advance the strategic partnership between their countries, South Korea's presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-Jung told reporters.

"The two leaders agreed to work together to further expand mutually beneficial and substantive cooperation in a wide range of areas, including trade, investment, infrastructure, digital transformation, green growth and defense, especially with the expected conclusion of the South Korea-Malaysia free trade agreement this year," Kang said.

The two countries mark the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year.

South Korea and Malaysia are due to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-related meetings later this year, respectively.