SEOUL: The top diplomats of South Korea and Malaysia held consultations over the phone Friday on strengthening ties in areas of the defense industry and infrastructure, Seoul’s foreign ministry said.

Yonhap news agency reported that in his phone talks with his Malaysian counterpart, Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir, South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin lauded the two countries’ past cooperation in various areas since establishing diplomatic ties in 1960.

Park also explained South Korea’s recently announced Indo-Pacific strategy and the country’s vision to strengthen ties with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The two sides shared the view that North Korea’s ballistic missile launches needed to be dealt with using the international community’s unified and resolute response. - Bernama