KUALA LUMPUR - Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan is on a two-day working visit to the Republic of Korea from yesterday to discuss the direction and ways to enhance defence cooperation between the two countries.
Defence Ministry (Mindef) in a statement said that the visit was on the invitation of the Republic of Korea’s former National Defence Minister Lee Jong-Sup. Mohamad also met with the country’s newly-minted Defence Minister Shin Won Sik.
According to Mindef, both ministers reaffirmed their commitment to enhance existing cooperation and explore new collaboration opportunities including in the aspects of the military and defence industry.
"They also discussed the roles of Malaysia and the Republic of Korea as co-chairs in the cyber-security field for the Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) Experts’ Working Group,” read the statement.
Mohamad also attended the ongoing Seoul Defence Dialogue (SDD) 2023 and Seoul International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition (ADEX) 2023, it added.
According to the statement, Malaysia’s participation in SDD 2023 and ADEX 2023 is aimed at expressing the country’s continuing commitment to strengthen defence cooperation with the Republic of Korea.
Mohamad also held meetings with heads of delegations from other countries including Australia, Singapore, United Kingdom and Brunei besides meeting the Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Malaysia in Seoul Nazarudin Ja'afar and department heads at the embassy to share the latest developments in Malaysia and the country’s perspectives on regional matters, according to the statement.
The Malaysian government and the Republic of Korea had signed a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation in 2022, it said, adding that in February this year, the Defence Ministry also signed a letter of acceptance for the acquisition of 18 units of FA-50 Block 20 Fighter Lead-In Trainer-Light Combat Aircraft (FLIT-LCA) for the Royal Malaysian Air Force. - BERNAMA