President Lee Jae-myung will hold a summit with Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on the morning of the 2nd in Gyeongju, on the occasion of Wong's visit to Korea to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' meeting. It is expected to serve as an opportunity to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries on future industries and global issues.
Prime Minister Wong, who arrived in Korea on the 29th, moved to Seoul the previous day after completing his APEC leaders' schedule in Gyeongju. This summit is the first official leaders' meeting held to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and Singapore.
At the summit, the two leaders are scheduled to discuss practical cooperation measures across a wide range of areas, including security, trade and investment, artificial intelligence (AI), advanced technology, the green economy, and the energy transition.
For the official luncheon, a Korean menu featuring fresh seafood and seasonal ingredients was prepared, reflecting the characteristics of Singapore's representative food culture, the "hawker center," which Wong often enjoys. The menu includes lightly blanched seafood served with chili sauce and grilled Jeju cutlassfish with soy-pulp and pollock roe sauces, while the toast beverage will be a golden nonalcoholic cocktail made with Naju pears from South Jeolla Province, "Golden Bae."
For dessert, a dried persimmon cake with Singapore's traditional kaya jam was prepared. The cake was topped with decorations modeled after the national flags of both countries, symbolizing their enduring friendship.
Marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, Singapore is Korea's second-largest trading partner among Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members and the No. 1 investor in Korea, and is regarded as the most important partner in infrastructure cooperation.