Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.
Moon visits Malaysia
President Moon Jae-in, center, shakes hands with Malaysian officials at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia, Tuesday. Moon is on a three-nation state visit to Brunei, Malaysia and Cambodia in a move to boost ties with the ASEAN countries. / Yonhap
By Park Ji-won
By Park Ji-won
President Moon Jae-in visited Malaysia Tuesday and attended a Korean pop culture and halal exhibition organized by Korean corporations, on the second day of his state visit to ASEAN countries.
Moon and first lady Kim Jung-sook, who arrived in Kuala Lumpur in the afternoon, participated in the combined exhibition held at 1 Utama Shopping Centre in Petaling Jayato ― a satellite town of Kuala Lumpur ― to enhance cultural ties between the countries.
Moon will be the first head of state to be received by King Yang di-Pertuan Agong since the Malaysian leader took office on Jan 31. His visit to Malaysia was followed by a state visit to Brunei on Tuesday, where he and Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah agreed to expand their partnership from the energy industry to intellectual property during a summit Tuesday, according to Cheong Wa Dae, in a move to boost relations with Southeast Asian nations.
His moves are part of initiatives under his New Southern Policy which seeks to improve economic and diplomatic ties with ASEAN countries.
Moon has pledged to visit all 10 ASEAN countries before his term ends in 2022. He is also scheduled to host a summit later this year involving the heads of all 10 ASEAN states to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of South Korea-ASEAN talks.
Earlier on Friday, Yoon Jong-won, the senior secretary for economic affairs, told reporters “Malaysia is leading the halal product market worth $2 trillion globally. Also, it is the Asian country which likes K-pop the most.” He added, “Through the exhibition to promote Korean pop culture and the halal industry, the two countries will boost cooperation with each other.”
Moon later met with Koreans living in Malaysia and gave them a pep talk and thanked them for bridging the two countries.
Moon will attend a state welcoming ceremony today hosted by the Malaysian king, the reigning monarch of Malaysia, and hold a summit with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. The summit will be followed by the signing of a memorandum of understanding and joint press statement. Later, Moon will attend a state dinner hosted by the king and his wife.
On Thursday, Moon will head to Cambodia after giving a keynote speech at a business forum held between South Korea and Malaysia.