KUALA LUMPUR, 28 JAN – Malaysia and South Korea have entered into an agreement to strengthen their collaboration in the military and defense industry.
The South Korean Ministry of National Defense disclosed in a statement following recent working-level defense meeting held in Kuala Lumpur.
The inaugural Defense Policy Coordination Meeting marked a significant milestone as the first of its kind.
The meeting was attended by Lee Seung-beom, director general for international policy at the South Korean defense ministry, and Mohd. Yani Daud, deputy secretary general at the Malaysian defense ministry.
During the meeting, both representatives expressed their commitment to expanding cooperation across various domains, including the enhancement of cybersecurity collaboration, the expansion of joint exercises, and the deepening of defense industry cooperation. The South Korean Ministry of National Defense also highlighted that a concrete plan for future collaboration was formulated during the meeting.
In addition to these discussions, the meeting addressed the ongoing issue of North Korea. Both sides shared concerns over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile program.
The meeting builds upon the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defense Cooperation signed by Malaysia and South Korea in 2022.
The South Korean Ministry of National Defense in the statement emphasised that Malaysia’s acquisition of FA-50 aircraft last year marked a significant advancement in the defense collaboration between the two nations.
The purchase of 18 FA-50 Block 20 aircraft is part of the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s CAP55 program, with the first aircraft expected to be delivered in 2026.
It is worth noting that Malaysia previously maintained diplomatic relations with North Korea.
However, Pyongyang severed these ties on March 19, 2021, in response to the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s decision to reject the extradition appeal of businessman,Mun Chol Myong to the United States.
This development represents a crucial chapter in the diplomatic history between Putrajaya and Pyongyang, following the 2017 assassination of Kim Jong-nam. – airtimes.my
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