The Evolution of Korea-Malaysia Relations : From Low-key to an Interdependent Relationship

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the development of interdependent relations between Korea and Malaysia since the beginning of its diplomatic ties. Reviewing the earlier years of Korea-Malaysia relations during the 1960s and 70s, political indifference and lack of economic cooperation characterize the nature of relationship. They have viewed each other as neither a significant political nor economic entity of international society. Neither country placed the other high in its priorities. Since the early 1980s, however, impressive progress has been made in bilateral relations. In real terms, the two countries’ overall political, economic, and sociocultural ties have become strikingly closer. Transactions between Korea and Malaysia, whether in the form of communications or exchanges of personnel, or in the form of technical cooperation other than close economic ties, have increased rapidly over the period. The shift in Korea-Malaysia relations to a higher gear from the early 1980s was certainly a significant departure from the historical pattern. A significant change came about again less than two decades ago. The turning point came when a regional crisis, the East Asian economic crisis, broke out in the second half of 1997. Both Korea and Malaysia, which at the time were suffering from currency speculation and capital flights from local markets, shared a common need to restructure the regional architecture to counter the economic meltdown in the region and address its ripple effects. Considering China-Japan rivalry, Korea can play a leading or central, if not hegemonic, role in East Asian regional architecture in the middle of an economic crisis. Prominent for its role in initiating East Asian regionalism among ASEAN countries, Malaysia possesses reasonable potentials for leading regional cooperation. This means Korea and Malaysia, as the middle powers in the region, are regarded as good partners, whose leaders have contributed significantly to revitalizing East Asian regionalism. In sum, Korea-Malaysia relations in recent times may well be distinguished by their increasingly interdependent characteristics, and with the launching the LEP2.0, the existing close relations are likely to become increasingly stronger in the years ahead.