Malaysia–South Korea relations

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File:TradeAgreement Malaysia-SthKorea 1962-11-05.jpg and the foreign minister of South Korea Choe Deok-sin sign the first ever trade agreement between those two countries in Seoul, 1962-11-05.]]

Relations between the two countries began on 23 February 1960 with visits between the leaders of each nation.{{cite book|url=http://www.grin.com/en/e-book/319796/south-korea-s-interest-in-the-malaysian-socio-economic-development-the|title=South Korea's interest in the Malaysian socio-economic development. The history of the "Look-To-The-East Idea"|author=Uqbah Iqbal|work=National University of Malaysia|publisher=Grin|year=2016|access-date=25 November 2017|isbn=978-3-6682015-5-2|pages=44}}

File:20111022 Sunrise - Penang Bridge.jpg, jointly built by Hyundai and Malaysian companies, was Southeast Asia's longest bridge upon its completion in 1985.]]

Since 1980, South Korea emerged as one of Malaysia's main foreign direct investment sources. Until 1996, a total of 235 South Korean investments projects to Malaysia worth RM4.6 billion were approved for the manufacturing sector, comprising the production of non-metallic products, electrical and electronic products, wood and wood products, rubber products and chemicals. From 2004 until 2008, Malaysia's trade with South Korea increased by 6.7% from US$9.7 billion in 2004 to US$15.4 billion. In 2012, another 287 projects have been implemented with an investment of RM7.7 billion. The trade value reached almost US$20 billion in 2018, making Malaysia as the South Korea's 14th largest business partner.{{cite web |url=https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/my-en/wpge/m_1909/contents.do |title=Ambassador's Greetings |date= |accessdate=2022-02-20 |quote= |publisher= }} In 2018, South Korean SK Group signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Malaysia to invest in the latter by collaborating in information and communications technology (ICT) and 5G, oil and gas, green technology and urban development.{{cite web|url=https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2018/02/338204/south-korean-sk-group-signs-mou-malaysia|title=South Korean SK Group signs MoU with Malaysia|author=Amir Hisyam Rasid|publisher=New Straits Times|date=23 February 2018|access-date=23 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223123559/https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2018/02/338204/south-korean-sk-group-signs-mou-malaysia|archive-date=23 February 2018|url-status=dead}}

In April 2025, South Korea and Malaysia will gather in Seoul to sign a bilateral free trade agreement. About 70 officials from the two countries will attend the eighth official meeting from Apr. 08 to Apr. 11, and the agreement will bridge the gap in 10 priority areas, including trade in goods, services, and economic cooperation.{{Cite web |title=S. Korea, Malaysia meet in Seoul for new round of FTA negotiations |url=https://news.nate.com/view/20250408n09527 |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=네이트 뉴스 |language=ko}}

The number of South Korean expatriates in Malaysia nearly tripled between 2005 and 2007, reaching 14,934 individuals, and is expected to continue to grow rapidly.{{cite web|url=http://mofaweb.mofat.go.kr/emate-k15/aboardmanage.nsf/viewNavCategory1PeopleArea?readform&start=1&skin=skin01&viewname=view01area&frames=1&category=구주지역|script-title=ko: [재외국민/단체] (Overseas citizens/groups)|language=ko|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Republic of Korea|year=2008|access-date=10 September 2008}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mofat.go.kr/mofat/mk_a006/mk_b037/1189818_634.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813132452/http://www.mofat.go.kr/mofat/mk_a006/mk_b037/1189818_634.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 August 2012|script-title=ko: [2005년도 재외동포현황] (2005 Present Status of Overseas Compatriots)|language=ko|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Republic of Korea|year=2005|access-date=14 May 2007}}{{cite web|url=http://properties.emedia.com.my/listfocus.php?propNewsID=452&CatID=F00|title=Hwan Young Hap Ni Da|author=Zoe Phoon|publisher=New Straits Times Property|date=26 November 2007|access-date=1 January 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080108125938/http://properties.emedia.com.my/listfocus.php?propNewsID=452&CatID=F00|archive-date=8 January 2008|url-status=dead}} Furthermore, around 200,000 South Korean tourists came to Malaysia in 2006; Kota Kinabalu was their most popular destination.

Malaysians in South Korea form a much smaller community. The Malaysian ambassador to South Korea, M. Santhananaban, estimated in 2005 that there were 400 Malaysian international students in the country.{{cite web|url=http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200512/kt2005121219363811990.htm|title=Roh's Visit Boost Bilateral Relations: Ambassador|author=Won-sup Yoon|publisher=The Korea Times|date=12 December 2005|access-date=4 May 2007}} Their presence in South Korea is an outgrowth of Mahathir Mohamad's "Look East" policy, which encouraged Malaysians to learn from and emulate the attitudes and work ethic of South Korea and Japan.{{citation|title=Malaysian Cultural Relations with Japan and South Korea in the 1980s: Looking East|journal=Asian Survey|volume=27|issue=6|date=June 1987|pages=638–660|last=Machado|first=Kit G.|doi=10.2307/2644541|jstor=2644541 }} In 2008, the South Korean government gave out scholarships totalling RM8 million to forty-one Malaysian students to support their pursuit of master's degrees, doctoral degrees, or other post-graduate research in South Korea.{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/education/2008/08/31/korean-govt-awards-scholarships-to-malaysian-students/|title=Korean govt awards scholarships to Malaysian students|work=The Star|date=31 August 2008|access-date=23 September 2008}}

• Koreans in Malaysia

{{Portal bar|Malaysia|South Korea|Politics}}

• [http://www.ppmkonline.com Persatuan Pelajar Malaysia Korea] (Malaysian Students Association in Korea)

{{Foreign relations of Malaysia}}

{{Foreign relations of South Korea}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Malaysia-South Korea relations}}

South Korea

Category:Bilateral relations of South Korea