Malaysian Ambassador to Korea Mohd Zamruni Khalid speaks of the growing bilateral relations during an interview with The Korea Times at the Malaysian Embassy in Seoul, July 17. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk Korea-Malaysia FTA benefits both nations: Malaysian ambassador By Kim Hyun-bin Mohd Zamruni Khalid, the Malaysian representative to Korea, highlighted the growing economic relationship between Korea and Malaysia, particularly emphasizing the opportunities for Korean companies in the halal industry. "One major area of collaboration is the halal industry," Khalid said during an interview with The Korea Times at the Malaysian Embassy in Seoul, July 17.
"This may be new for Korean companies, but Malaysia is a leader and frontrunner in this sector. Many people in Muslim countries consume halal products. If South Korean companies want to expand into these markets, they can go through Malaysia.
We have developed expertise and a whole ecosystem to support the halal industries, including food and beverages, Islamic finance, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, fashion and logistics," he said. Khalid noted that some Korean companies have already obtained halal certification from the Malaysian Department of Islamic Development, known as JAKIM. "JAKIM's halal certification is known worldwide, making it easier for South Korean companies to export to Muslim markets," he said.
The ambassador also touched on other sectors ripe for collaboration, including the chemical industry, electronics and electrical machinery, aerospace and medical services. "We also have good cooperation in the defense and arms industry, highlighted by our recent agreement to buy 18 South Korean fighter jets. This purchase has fostered a defense-related industry partnership between our countries," he said.
Discussing challenges, Khalid mentioned the difficulties Malaysia faces in exporting food-based products and fruit to Korea. "We really want to export our fruits to Korea, especially durians, which have a big market in China. However, certain food products still face high tariff barriers.
" Khalid pointed out that the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA) has helped reduce some barriers, but there is still work to be done. "The AKFTA is limited, and not all products can be exported to South Korea with zero tariffs. We are negotiating a Malaysia-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to address these issues.
Negotiations started in 2019 but stalled after two rounds. They were relaunched earlier this year, and the second round will be held in Malaysia in August." Khalid highlighted the importance of the FTA for both countries.
"Finalizing the FTA will benefit both Malaysia and South Korea, facilitating lower tariffs and enhancing economic ties," he said. Diplomatic relations Upon his recent relocation to Korea in April, Khalid emphasized the importance of maintaining robust bilateral relations. "We want to maintain a good bilateral relationship between Malaysia and Korea.
This would include persuading leaders from both sides to visit each other's country," he said, expressing optimism about a potential visit by Malaysia's prime minister to Seoul by the end of the year and a reciprocal visit by Korea's president to Malaysia next year. The ambassador highlighted the ongoing high-level exchanges between the two nations, noting that last year alone, eight Malaysian ministers visited Korea. This year has seen visits from various Malaysian chief ministers, and Khalid hopes for reciprocation from the Korean side.
He also revealed ambitions for a strategic partnership agreement between the two countries to be signed during the Malaysian prime minister's upcoming visit. On the economic front, Khalid underscored the significance of trade and investment between Korea and Malaysia. "Last year, our trade reached almost $25 billion, making Korea one of our biggest trading partners.
In fact, Korea is the 10th-largest trading partner for Malaysia, and Malaysia is the 11th-largest trading partner for Korea," he said. Khalid aims to see these trade figures increase. He highlighted Korea's role as one of the largest investors in Malaysia, with investments totaling nearly $11 billion.
To attract further investment, Khalid pointed out Malaysia's strategic advantages. "Malaysia has one of the best infrastructures in Southeast Asia and is centrally located, sharing borders with several key ASEAN countries," he said, emphasizing Malaysia's attractive tax incentives, including Pioneer Status and the Investment Tax Allowance, which provide substantial tax relief for qualifying companies. A woman jogs through a park with a view of the skyline of the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, June 25.
EPA-Yonhap Cutural exchange, tourism Khalid provided an insightful overview of the flourishing cultural exchange and tourism between Korea and Malaysia. With Korea ranking as the 10th-largest source of tourists to Malaysia, the ambassador expressed optimism about future growth. "We have a lot of people-to-people relations, particularly in terms of tourism," Khalid said.
"Last year, we received slightly more than 400,000 Korean tourists, and we hope this year the number will increase to 570,000. By 2026, we are targeting more than 700,000 Korean tourists as it will be a special year, designated as Visit Malaysia Year 2026." Khalid emphasized that the upcoming Visit Malaysia Year 2026 will feature numerous activities and promotions aimed at attracting tourists globally, especially from Korea.
The growing interest in Korean pop culture, including K-dramas, K-pop and Korean cuisine, has also influenced many Malaysians to explore Korea. "Last year alone, more than 200,000 Malaysians visited South Korea for tourism purposes," he said. The ambassador highlighted Malaysia's "Look East" policy, initiated in 1982, which encourages learning from East Asian nations, including Korea and Japan.
"As part of this policy, we've sent many Malaysian students to study in South Korea. Currently, over 1,000 Malaysian students are here, and their experiences help make Korea more known in Malaysia when they return home," Khalid explained. Khalid expressed his desire to enhance Malaysia's presence in Korea through cultural diplomacy.
"I want to learn from South Korea to impart my knowledge back home and make Malaysia more well-known here. Many South Koreans are familiar with Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand, but I want to encourage them to visit Malaysia as well," he said. One of the initiatives Khalid plans to implement is a Malaysian festival in Korea to showcase Malaysian culture, food and activities.
"We want Koreans to know more about Malaysia and feel compelled to visit," he said. Additionally, Khalid aims to introduce Malaysian cuisine to Korea, capitalizing on the popularity of Korean food in Malaysia. "I hope to do something similar for Malaysian food, so Koreans would visit Malaysia to experience our culinary delights," he added.
When asked about dishes that might appeal to Korean tastes, Khalid mentioned, "Both Malaysians and Koreans enjoy hot and spicy food. For example, bihun goreng, a fried vermicelli noodle dish, and nasi lemak, rice with spicy sambal and anchovies, are likely to be popular among Koreans." Khalid also conveyed a message to the Korean public, encouraging them to explore Malaysia's diverse attractions.
"Malaysia offers a variety of experiences, from jungle trekking to beautiful beaches and rich cultural heritage. We have excellent infrastructure, making it easy to travel across the country," he said..
