President Lee Jae-myung said at a luncheon with Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on the 2nd that "in an uncertain international order, Korea and Singapore, as mid-sized innovation powerhouses, should play the role of stars that light up the dark night for the international community." Wong replied, "Over the next 50 years as well, ties between the two countries will become even stronger based on the Strategic Partnership agreement."
About 40 key figures from the two governments and business communities attended the luncheon held that day at the Freedom Hall of the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul, including the two leaders and their spouses.
From Korea, Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, Director of the Office of National Security Wi Sung-lac, Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon, Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Kim Jung-kwan, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mi-ryung, and Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Jeon Jae-soo attended, along with Korea International Trade Association Chairman Yoon Jin-sik, Korea Enterprises Federation Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik, Celltrion Group Chairman Seo Jung-Jin, and Hanwha Group Vice Chairman Kim Dong-Kwan.
On the Singapore side, senior government officials were present, including Prime Minister Wong and his spouse; Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Sim Ann; Senior Minister of State for Health and for Communications and Information Tan Kiat How; Senior Minister of State for Law and Transport Murali Pillai; and Singapore Ambassador to Korea Wong Kai Jhin.
The president said, "Korea and Singapore are innovative countries that have grown by overcoming limited resources and difficult geopolitical conditions," emphasizing, "Let us build a Strategic Partnership that shines together like stars that illuminate each other."
He went on, "This year is especially meaningful as it marks the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation and the 60th anniversary of Singapore's independence, making the prime minister's visit all the more significant," adding, "Based on trust with the prime minister, we will deepen cooperation between the two countries."
Wong said, "Singapore and Korea have maintained close ties over the past 50 years across various fields, including government, corporations, and culture," adding, "Let us expand cooperation in future fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), energy, and the green transition, and move forward together for our shared interests at the regional and global levels."
He offered a toast, saying, "Under President Lee's leadership and support, relations between our two countries will become even more solid over the next 50 years."
Before the luncheon, the two leaders agreed at the Korea-Singapore summit to elevate bilateral relations to a "Strategic Partnership" and discussed a future cooperation roadmap on areas such as AI and digital, and climate and energy transition.
Meanwhile, the president presented Wong with an electric guitar adorned with mother-of-pearl inlay. The gift reflected Wong's tastes as a music aficionado and skilled guitar player.
Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said, "By adding decorations using Korea's traditional mother-of-pearl lacquer technique to a modern electric guitar, it is expected to be a customized gift that showcases the distinctiveness of Korean culture."