SINGAPORE — Prime Minister Lawrence Wong held his first official phone conversation with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on June 30, congratulating him on his recent election victory and marking a key step forward in bilateral relations between the two countries.
During the call, both leaders agreed to upgrade Singapore-South Korea ties to a strategic partnership. This announcement comes ahead of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, which will be commemorated in 2025.
In a Facebook post shared on the same day, Prime Minister Wong highlighted the steady growth of the bilateral relationship over the decades. He stated that the upgrade to a strategic partnership will help deepen collaboration in areas of shared interest. “I look forward to continuing our conversation when Korea hosts the Apec meeting later this year,” he added. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit is scheduled to take place in the South Korean city of Gyeongju later in 2024.
According to a news release from the South Korean embassy in Singapore, Prime Minister Wong conveyed his warm congratulations and expressed his commitment to strengthening cooperation throughout President Lee’s term. President Lee, in return, welcomed the continued progress between the two countries across a range of sectors since diplomatic ties were first established in 1975.
These sectors include political and security cooperation, economic engagement, cultural exchange, and collaboration on regional and international issues. The embassy also noted that both countries will intensify efforts to collaborate in emerging and forward-looking sectors such as artificial intelligence, digital innovation, and regional peace and stability, particularly on the Korean peninsula.
President Lee expressed his anticipation of Prime Minister Wong’s attendance at the upcoming Apec summit. Prime Minister Wong, for his part, voiced confidence in South Korea’s ability to host a successful summit and proposed maintaining active high-level exchanges between the two governments.