Overview

• South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim held their first direct phone talks on June 23, marking their inaugural bilateral exchange since Lee’s June 4 inauguration.
• The leaders agreed to expand cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, digital transformation, green growth and defense.
• They pledged to work toward concluding a South Korea–Malaysia free trade agreement by the end of 2025 to strengthen economic ties.
• The call coincides with the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
• Both nations are set to host major meetings later this year, with South Korea hosting the APEC summit and Malaysia overseeing ASEAN meetings.