Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad arrived at Busan’s Gimhae Air Base today to attend the Asean-South Korea Commemorative Summit 2019 .

The special aircraft carrying the premier and wife Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali touched down at the airport at 7.20pm local time Sunday (6.20pm Malaysian time).

On hand to welcome him at the airport were Korea’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Lee Tae-Ho and South Korean Ambassador to Malaysia Lee Chi-beom.

Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah and Ambassador of Malaysia to Korea Mohd Ashri Muda were also present.

Besides attending the commemorative summit, Mahathir's itinerary in Korea comprises a long list of events, meetings and media interviews, including a dialogue session at the CEO Summit of 2019, Invest Asean and Asean-South Korea Startup Expo.

At the CEO Dialogue by Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), Mahathir's discussion will revolve around the theme “New Partnership for the Co-Prosperity of Korea & Asean Business”.

He is also scheduled to visit the Malaysian Pavilion at the Invest Asean Exhibition and the Asean-South Korea Innovation Showcase.

While in Busan, the prime minister will also take the opportunity to visit the Korea Aerospace Industry (KAI), Hyundai Rotem Changwon Factory and Samsung Heavy Industries Goeje Shipyard for a tour of Petronas' Floating Liquified Natural Gas (PFLNG) 2.

After the summit, Mahathir will undertake an official visit to Seoul from Nov 27 to 28 - his first official visit to South Korea since assuming the post as Malaysia’s seventh prime minister in May 2018.

- Bernama