South Korea’s Lee discusses ties with Indonesia’s Prabowo, Malaysian Premier Anwar
This marks 1st direct contact by President Lee Jae Myung with Southeast Asian leaders since his electoral win in early June
Photo credit: @Jaemyung_Lee, X
ANKARA/KARACHI
South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung Monday held separate phone calls with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to discuss bilateral relations, according to the Yonhap news agency.
These were Lee’s first direct contacts with leaders of the two Southeast Asian nations since he was elected to the executive post in South Korea early this month.
Lee and Anwar expressed hope to further advance the strategic partnership between their countries, South Korea's presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung told reporters.
The two also 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 deal this year, according to the spokesperson.
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.
Lee later spoke to Prabowo to discuss South Korea’s ties with Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy.
Indonesia “is one of (South) Korea’s key partners,” Lee said on X. “The Special Strategic Partnership between our two countries has developed on the foundation of mutual trust and friendship.”
“Amid a rapidly changing global environment, President Prabowo and I shared our common vision to further strengthen our bilateral cooperation as longstanding friends and strategic partners,” said Lee, whose public approval rating has climbed to nearly 60% in the second week of his presidency.
