South Korea Offers To Assist M'sia In Achieving Developed Nation Status

FROM NOOR SHAMSIAH MOHAMED SEOUL (South Korea), June 13 (Bernama) -- South Korea is prepared to offer technology-sharing in efforts to assist Malaysia to achieve the status of a developed nation with high income. Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin (left) said this was among the matters discussed during his meeting with South Korea's Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik (right) Tuesday which further strengthened existing bilateral ties established 50 years ago. (picture) "It appears that this is the best relations in the history of both countries with the top level visit and I have also invited him to visit Malaysia at an appropriate time," he said. He said this to reporters after concluding his two-day working visit to South Korea. During the visit, Muhyiddin had held meetings with 18 captains of industry in the republic. The Deputy Prime Minister said that among the technology-sharing offered were in the field of nuclear technology to generate energy in Malaysia. "The South Korean Prime Minister suggested that we adopt the South Korean technology to generate energy assisted by the experience and skills available here for so long. "They have used energy sources through nuclear power and the latest report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that the nuclear plants developed here are still safe," he said. However, he had informed the South Koreans that Malaysia had yet to make a final decision on the use of nuclear energy to generate power in the country. He said this was because the decision would require a more in-depth study by the government besides the need to provide adequate education so that the people had a better understanding of what was meant by generating power using nuclear energy. Muhyiddin said an in-depth study was also needed to see whether the existing sources of energy namely hydro, solar and wind still had the potentials to be expanded. During the meeting, efforts to widen cooperation in the field of education between both countries were also discussed following the memorandum signed earlier. He said the government had stated its aspiration to become the regional education hub and was prepared to receive more students from the republic to further their studies in Malaysia particularly in English language study. Currently, there are more than 300 Malaysian students in South Korea while more than 3,000 students from the republic are studying in Malaysia. "In addition, we have also sought the cooperation of South Korea to support Malaysia's proposal to become a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council as well as the Children's Rights Committee," he added. (photoBERNAMA) MALAYSIA