Korea, Malaysia agree to improve ties, boost cooperation

(ATTN: UPDATES with remarks by South Korea's presidential spokesman in paras 10-11)
By Byun Duk-kun
JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, June 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak
and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak agreed Tuesday to strengthen
economic and energy cooperation between their countries and join forces to combat
piracy in the Malacca Strait.
The agreements came in bilateral talks held here on the sidelines of a special
summit between Lee and the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN), which also includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar,
Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.
"The two leaders noted their countries' bilateral relations have steadily
improved over the years and agreed to work together to successfully stage
commemorative events that will mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic ties between the countries in 2010," South Korea's presidential office
Cheong Wa Dae said in a press release.
"President Lee also noted the joint efforts of Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore
to fight pirates in the Malacca Straits and promised to support their efforts."
Vessels plying the strait face significantly less danger than they did in the
early 2000s, and some have pointed to anti-piracy efforts in the region as a
model for how to secure shipping routes in Somali waters.
South Korea dispatched a destroyer to the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden in April,
joining an international campaign to stop the hijacking of ships off the east
African coast.
Lee extended an invitation to the Malaysian head of state to make a state visit
to Seoul next year, according to the release.
The two leaders also agreed to seek increased cooperation between their countries
in the sectors of finance and information and communication technology.
"They took special interest in joint energy development projects in third
countries," the statement said.
The Malaysian prime minister called for increased cooperation between the
countries in developing new, renewable sources of energy and said he was
impressed with Seoul's efforts to pursue sustainable development based on
low-carbon, green growth, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Lee Dong-kwan.
"I wish to be able to send a related minister to South Korea in the near future
to discuss ways to cooperate in the area," Najib was quoted as saying.
The two heads of state also expressed their concern over North Korea's recent
test of a nuclear device, saying it seriously undermined regional and global
security.
The bilateral summit between Lee and Najib followed the conclusion of the special
Korea-ASEAN summit, in which the South Korean president ASEAN's leaders condemned
North Korea's nuclear test and demanded Pyongyang's immediate return to
six-nation talks on ending its atomic weapons program.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)