MALAYSIA’S top diplomat in Seoul was barely months into his new posting when martial law was abruptly declared on the night of Dec 3, 2024.

The suddenness of the announcement meant there was no playbook to follow in dealing with the seismic political shift.

In the words of Malaysia’s ambassador to South Korea Datuk Mohd Zamruni Khalid, he was in uncharted territory.

“That evening was undeniably a dramatic and unsettling period. When then President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law was announced, a sense of tension and confusion swept through the international diplomatic community in Seoul.

“It felt as though we were thrust into uncharted territory,” he recalls in an e-mail interview with Sunday Star recently.

He and other fellow ambassadors exchanged messages, seeking clarification and attempting to decipher the announcement’s potential scope and implications for their respective citizens and interests in the Republic of Korea (ROK).

“The unexpected nature of the declaration amplified the anxiety, as it disrupted the established sense of stability.”

Zamruni, 57, says his primary focus was to ensure the safety of Malaysians in South Korea.

“We prepared contingency plans for various scenarios, including potential travel restrictions or disruptions to essential services,” he says, besides providing real-time updates to Putrajaya.

Fortunately, the situation had been de-escalated by the following morning.

(Yoon’s doomed attempt lasted six hours before the South Korean Parliament passed a resolution to revoke the emergency martial law.)

“The presence of military personnel diminished and daily life appeared to resume a semblance of normalcy,” Zamruni says of the next morning.

“This easing of tensions allowed us to transition from crisis management mode to a more measured evaluation of the long-term ramifications. We continued to monitor the situation closely, engaging with ROK government officials and other diplomatic missions to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying factors and potential future developments.”

The past year had been a frenetic time for Zamruni, a career diplomat who previously served in New York City, Hanoi, and Paris.

Three months after the chaos of that martial law announcement, South Korea witnessed unprecedented wildfires sweeping through its mountainous south- eastern region.

And within six months of Zamruni’s arrival in Seoul in April last year, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim came to town.

“It was undoubtedly a demanding but incredibly rewarding experience. To say the preparations were hectic would be an understatement,” says Zamruni of the Prime Minister’s visit.

“The accelerated timeline required immediate immersion and a steep learning curve, not just for myself, but for the entire team,” he says.

Zamruni and his team had to learn about the logistical requirements and the specific priorities of both governments within a limited time frame.

“This meant long hours, attention to detail, and constant communication across multiple departments and agencies, both here in Seoul and back in Malaysia.”

The key, he says, was teamwork.

“I am immensely proud of the entire embassy team in the ROK that demonstrated dedication and commitment. They sacrificed personal time and poured their energy into ensuring every aspect of the visit was meticulously planned and executed.”

Contingency planning was also paramount, he says.

“We anticipated potential issues, from logistical challenges to unforeseen scheduling conflicts, and developed backup plans to minimise disruptions.”

Ultimately, it was a rewarding time for his team.

“Seeing the visit culminate in the elevation of our bilateral relationship, with the promise of RM32bil in potential investments, made all the hard work worthwhile,” Zamruni says.

Following Anwar’s visit, both countries have intensified efforts to attract investment, trade, and technology collaboration.

“For instance, Hyundai announced a RM2.14bil investment in Malaysia, and Simmtech Co Ltd is expanding its operations in Penang,” he says of the car manufacturer and semiconductor company respectively.

He says both countries may also explore initiatives to increase scholarships, besides promoting educational and cultural exchanges to equip young people with the tools to address challenges like climate change and economic inequalities.

This year, Malaysia and South Korea are celebrating the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

“Since establishing diplomatic ties with the ROK in 1960, bilateral relations have remained strong and productive, especially in trade, investment, tourism, education, and human resource development,” says Zamruni.

According to the ambassador, Malaysia’s Look East policy, initiated in the 1980s, has strengthened people-to-people ties, while South Korea’s New Southern Policy and Korean-Asean Solidarity Initiative have enhanced economic ties, cultural exchanges, and support for Asean’s sustainable development efforts.

“The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Asean and South Korea also paves the way for deeper cooperation in defence and security, emphasising digital transformation and economic resilience in response to regional challenges.”

As the ambassador, Zamruni says his priority is to achieve a substantial increase in trade and investment between the two nations.

“A key instrument in achieving this goal is the successful conclusion and implementation of the Malaysia-Korea Free Trade Agreement [MKFTA]. We are targeting the signing of the MKFTA by late 2025, and I view this as a critical milestone with transformative potential.”

He says the agreement is aimed at unlocking new opportunities for trade, reducing barriers to investment, and facilitating a seamless flow of goods, services, and capital between the two countries.

Zamruni has also engaged directly with Korean companies that have shown interest in expanding their operations to Malaysia.

“This engagement is not merely perfunctory; it is a sustained and deliberate effort to build strong relationships, understand their needs and concerns, and provide them with the support and assurances they require to make confident investment decisions.”

During a National Day celebration in Seoul last year, Zamruni recapped the steady growth in bilateral trade and the robust collaborations between the two nations in the past six decades.

For instance, the construction of one of the Petronas Twin Towers in the 1990s was carried out by a consortium led by Samsung C&T.

“I hope Korea and Malaysia will continue to nurture their strong relationship, walking hand in hand into the future, just as they have for the past 60 years.”

He ended with a Malay proverb, saying: “Many hands make light work. We are in this together through thick and thin.”