SEOUL: Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s four day official visit to South Korea beginning today (Monday), will pave the way for improved bilateral relations and trade between both countries, Malaysian Ambassador to South Korea Datuk Ramlan Ibrahim said Monday.
He said the visit was intended to enhance further, the excellent bilateral relations that existed between Malaysia and the republic, as well as provide new markers and direction in cooperation in the education sector.
“This high level visit also commemorates the 50th anniversary of our diplomatic relations since Feb 23, 1960,” he said, adding that four of Malaysia s Ministers and 18 Members of Parliament had visited South Korea this year.
The visit, a first by Muhyiddin as Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister will enhance cooperation in various fields particularly education trade and investment, Ramlan told the Malaysian media here.
In conjunction with the celebration Malaysia is planning to host a Malaysia Week here this year, and launch a coffee table book on the bilateral relations of both countries.
Ramlan said the embassy would also organise a trip to Malaysia for South Korean travel writers to give them exposure on the country.
He expects the number of tourists from the republic to increase tremendously in the coming years, when a Malaysian airline company operates daily from Kuala Lumpur Seoul soon.
He declined to name the airline company.
About 250 000 tourists from South Korea visit Malaysia every year. Currently, about 20,000 are residing in the country.
Ramlan said Malaysia’s total trade with South Korea stood at US$6.6 billion (US$ 1 =RM3.2) which is a growth of 46.9 per cent for the first five month this year, as compared to US$4.5 billion last year.
South Korea is Malaysia’s sixth largest trading partner accounting for 4.2 per cent of its global trade and also the seventh largest export destination, besides being the seventh largest source of imports.
Malaysia is the 12th largest global trading partner 21st largest export destination and 13th largest source of income for the republic, he added.
“Our major export items are liquid natural gas (34.7 per cent), electrical and electronics products (18.9 per cent), and iron and steel products (11.1 per cent),” he said.
On Muhyiddin’s visit, Ramlan said the Education Minister would be accompanied by his wife, Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, several Members of Parliaments and senior officials from the Foreign Ministry and other ministries.
Today (Monday), Muhyiddin is scheduled to have a round-table meeting with captains of industries of major Korean companies before hosting a dinner for Malaysians in the republic.
The following day, he will visit the Korea Education and Research Information Service (KERIS) a governmental organisation under the South Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology that develops, proposes and advises on current and future government policies and initiatives, regarding education in South Korea.
KERIS focuses on the development of ICT in educational systems in Korea and abroad and works closely with international organisations such as the World Bank and Unesco to assist other nations in developing or improving their own ICT infrastructure and implementation.
Muhyiddin is also scheduled to have a meeting with South Korean Education, Science and Technology Minister Ahn Byong Man before proceeding to the Paju Book City to launch two books titled Nyawa di Hujung Pedang by Ahmad Murad Nasaruddin and Antologi Puisi Malaysia which were translated into the Korean language by the Institut Terjemahan Negara Malaysia. - Bernama
