South Korean Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun met his Malaysian counterpart, Zafrul Aziz, in Seoul on Tuesday to discuss ways to deepen cooperation on supply chains of key raw materials and to boost bilateral trade. Aziz is in South Korea as part of his nation’s economic delegation to mark the 40th anniversary of its Look East Policy.

During the meeting, Ahn officially suggested signing a bilateral agreement on key raw materials to ensure their stable supply chains, including those necessary for electric vehicle (EV) batteries. The two trade ministers also exchanged opinions on ways to progress ongoing negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA). South Korea has a separate FTA with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc, but it seeks to strike bilateral deals with each ASEAN member state to further bolster ties.