KUALA LUMPUR: South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who arrived here yesterday on a three-day state visit to Malaysia, was accorded a state welcome at Parliament Square today.
Moon and his wife, Kim Jung-sook, were welcomed by Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah upon their arrival at the square at about 10am.
Also present were Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Cabinet ministers.
The state welcome began with the rendition of the national anthems of South Korea and Malaysia by the Central Band of the Royal Malaysian Navy, comprising one officer and 44 men led by Lt Mohd Shamram Ramli.
This was followed by the firing of a 21-gun salute.
Moon then inspected a guard-of-honour mounted by six officers and 103 men of the 1st Battalion Royal Malay Regiment, led by Major Mohd Izham Ahmad Rashidi.
After the welcoming ceremony, the Cabinet ministers and foreign envoys were introduced to Moon. International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Darell Leiking is the minister-in-attendance.
President Moon is scheduled to hold talks with Dr Mahathir on a wide range of bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry, Wisma Putra.
The two leaders are also scheduled to witness the signing of four memorandums of understanding on industrial cooperation relating to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0), cooperation in the field of transportation, the development of a Smart City in Malaysia, and cooperation in the halal industry.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong is scheduled to host a state banquet in Moon’s honour at Istana Negara tonight after the President has an audience with His Majesty.
President Moon’s visit is expected to reinvigorate Kuala Lumpur-Seoul ties and lay new groundwork for the bilateral relations to flourish, Wisma Putra said in a statement. — Bernama
