Seoul — South Korean President Lee Jae‑Myung flew out of Seoul Air Base on Sunday, heading to Kuala Lumpur for this year’s ASEAN summit. The trip marks Lee’s first visit to Southeast Asia since taking office in June and aims to strengthen ties with the 10‑member bloc while tackling online scams and other transnational crimes.
Lee and First Lady Kim Hea Kyung boarded the presidential plane in Seongnam, just south of the capital. They will spend two days in Malaysia, with the main focus on the upcoming ASEAN meeting. Lee said he wants to boost South Korea’s strategic partnership with ASEAN, especially around artificial intelligence and joint responses to cyber‑crime.
“Let’s build a safer digital space together,” Lee told a press briefing. “And we’ll ask ASEAN to support our peace plan on the Korean Peninsula.”
After the ASEAN summit, Lee will attend the ASEAN Plus Three meeting, which brings Japan, China and South Korea together. He’s scheduled to meet Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and China’s Premier Li Qiang for the first time in person, looking to deepen regional cooperation.
On the sidelines, the president will hold talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet over bilateral ties and Michigan whenever possible. Lee also plans to meet Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to discuss deeper economic ties before flying back to Seoul later Monday.
The visit comes as South Korea gears up to host the APEC summit in the southeastern city of Gyeongju. The APEC event is drawing attention, with U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping scheduled to meet there amid growing trade tensions.
Lee will also meet Trump on October 29 for a second in‑person summit in South Korea and will meet Xi on November 1 during the leaders’ state visits. The Korean president’s trip to Malaysia highlights his drive to build stronger international partnerships and address the rising threat of online scams targeting South Koreans.
Source: ianslive
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