SEOUL - South Korea's Foreign Minister Park Jin held constructive talks with his Malaysian and Indonesian counterparts in San Francisco, focusing on South Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo and enhancing bilateral economic relations.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Park Jin met separately with Malaysian Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) ministerial meeting on Tuesday. Park sought support from both nations for South Korea's ambition to host the 2030 World Expo.
In his discussion with Zambry, Park also requested Malaysia's backing in upgrading the relationship between South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to a "comprehensive strategic partnership" next year. Both parties agreed to intensify economic cooperation, particularly in supply chains, and to work towards signing a bilateral free trade agreement.
During his meeting with Marsudi, Park emphasized the need for Jakarta's engagement in the completion of the joint KF-21 fighter jet development project. Concerns were raised regarding Indonesia's overdue payments in the project, which are currently estimated to be around 1 trillion won (US$771.4 million). Indonesia has committed to financing approximately 20 percent of the project's total cost, which is 8.1 trillion won, through 2026.
These meetings signify South Korea's active diplomatic efforts to bolster its international relations and economic partnerships in the Southeast Asian region and beyond.