Kuala lumpur: President Lee Jae Myung concluded a two-day official visit to Malaysia, where he focused on enhancing South Korea’s collaboration with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and improving joint efforts to combat online scams and other transnational crimes affecting Koreans.
According to Yonhap News Agency, in his inaugural participation at the annual ASEAN summit since assuming office in June, Lee presented a new strategic vision for the regional bloc. This comes as ASEAN gains increased strategic significance amid evolving geopolitical dynamics and global supply chain realignments. Lee introduced South Korea’s “CSP” vision, which aims to fortify the strategic partnership established last year. He also proposed hosting a special Korea-ASEAN summit in 2029 to commemorate 40 years of diplomatic relations. The vision positions South Korea as a “contributor” for ASEAN youth’s aspirations, a “springboard” for growth and innovation, and a “partner” for peace and stability.
To enhance economic ties with ASEAN, South Korea’s third-largest trading partner, Lee suggested initiating discussions to update the free trade agreement (FTA) to achieve a target of US$300 billion in annual trade volume. South Korea and ASEAN’s current FTA includes agreements on goods, services, and investment established between 2006 and 2009.
During the summit, Lee reiterated South Korea’s dedication to promoting peace on the Korean Peninsula and sought ASEAN’s backing for his approach toward North Korea. He expressed a commitment to restoring trust, resuming dialogue, expanding cooperation, and establishing enduring peace in the region.
In the ASEAN Plus Three summit, attended by Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Lee advocated for enhanced regional collaboration to address economic uncertainties, such as protectionism and global supply chain changes. He emphasized the importance of trilateral cooperation with China and Japan to foster stronger ASEAN+3 ties and energize trilateral engagement.
Lee also used the summit to strengthen Seoul’s initiatives to coordinate responses to transnational crimes, including online scams, particularly after a Korean student’s death in Cambodia sparked widespread concern. He called for closer law enforcement collaboration to shield youths from organized crime networks, with Korean police coordinating with ASEANAPOL for collective action.
On the sidelines, Lee engaged in discussions with ASEAN leaders about bilateral relations and key issues. He and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet agreed to form a joint task force to tackle online scams and crimes targeting Koreans. Manet conveyed condolences for the Korean student’s death in Cambodia, labeling it “an unfortunate incident.”
Furthermore, Lee met with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to explore deepening economic, infrastructure, and defense cooperation, culminating in a defense industry cooperation memorandum of understanding between the two nations.
Lee’s visit to Malaysia marks the start of an eventful diplomatic week leading up to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju. This year’s APEC gathering is under scrutiny as U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to meet for a consequential summit amidst rising trade tensions. Lee is scheduled to meet Trump on Wednesday and Xi on Saturday during their state visits to South Korea.