SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Yonhap) - Samsung Electronics Co. Chairman Lee Jae-yong has emphasized the importance of "bold" investments during a visit to Samsung SDI's battery production line in Malaysia, the company said Monday.

The visit was made on Friday in Lee's first overseas trip since he was cleared of all charges in a Feb. 5 court ruling on the controversial 2015 merger of two Samsung affiliates allegedly conducted to help him take over control of South Korea's biggest conglomerate.

"We should not be focusing solely on short-term performances, but rather lead changes by rolling out bold challenges," Lee was quoted by Samsung Electronics as saying during the visit to the factory in Seremban, 65 kilometers south of Kuala Lumpur.

Samsung has been building an additional production line in the region with a budget of 1.7 trillion won (US$1.2 billion) since 2022.

Lee also visited Kuala Lumpur to check local consumers' responses to the company's latest Galaxy S24 smartphone, the company added.

Photo from Yonhap