Official Visit by Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong to the Republic of Korea (ROK), 2 November 2025

Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong is on an Official Visit to the Republic of Korea (ROK).

 

Prime Minister Wong met ROK President Lee Jae Myung at the Yongsan Presidential Office today. President Lee also hosted Prime Minister Wong to an official luncheon. The two leaders reaffirmed the excellent state of bilateral relations and commemorated the 50^th anniversary of the establishment of Singapore-ROK diplomatic relations. They agreed that deepening bilateral cooperation would help Singapore and the ROK navigate the uncertain geopolitical context and international trade environment, and deliver benefits for both our peoples and businesses.

 

Prime Minister Wong and President Lee had a fruitful discussion on regional and international developments, including on the need to strengthen free trade, multilateralism, and the rules-based international order. Prime Minister Wong welcomed President Lee’s commitment to deepen the ROK’s engagement of ASEAN, including through upgrading the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Area (AKFTA). The leaders agreed on the need for constructive dialogue to promote peace, stability, and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.

 

Prime Minister Wong and President Lee announced the upgrade of Singapore-ROK relations to a Strategic Partnership. The Strategic Partnership sets a roadmap for deepening and expanding bilateral cooperation in existing and new areas, across five pillars: (a) Political, Security, and Public Sector Cooperation; (b) Trade and Economic Cooperation; (c) Sustainability, the Green Economy, and Energy Transition; (d) Advanced Technology and Research and Development (R&D); and (e) People-to-People Exchange. Stepping up cooperation between both countries in cutting-edge areas will serve as pathfinders for broader regional and international cooperation. Both leaders agreed to strengthen regional cooperation, including through ASEAN. The Joint Statement of the ROK-Singapore Strategic Partnership is at Annex A.

 

Prime Minister Wong and President Lee witnessed the exchange of four Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) to enhance cooperation in public personnel administration, a Green and Digital Shipping Corridor, digitalisation, and culture and sports. The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the recent signing of MOUs under the Strategic Partnership. These MOUs reflect the multi-faceted nature of the Singapore-ROK Strategic Partnership and the strong momentum in bilateral cooperation going forward. The list of MOUs and agreements under the Strategic Partnership is at Annex B.

 

Prime Minister Wong returns to Singapore today.

 

 

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

2 NOVEMBER 2025

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

ANNEX A

 

 

JOINT STATEMENT ON THE ESTABLISHMENT

OF A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA

AND THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE

 

 

1.      On the occasion of the 50^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Republic of Singapore, and in conjunction with the Official Visit by the Prime Minister of Singapore from 1 to 2 November 2025, His Excellency Lee Jae Myung, President of the ROK, and His Excellency Lawrence Wong, Prime Minister of Singapore, formally announced the establishment of a Strategic Partnership between the ROK and Singapore.

 

2.      Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1975, the ROK and Singapore have built a deep and multifaceted relationship, underpinned by robust economic links, wide-ranging bilateral cooperation, and strong people-to-people ties. Both sides share common strategic perspectives on regional and international issues, including the importance of free trade, multilateralism, and a rules-based international order.

 

3.      Both sides reaffirmed our shared commitment to an inclusive and rules-based global order. Both sides will work together, bilaterally and with other partners, to strengthen the regional architecture, reform global institutions, and address global challenges, such as those arising from technological development and climate change. Our cooperation in strategic and cutting-edge areas will be pathfinders for broader regional cooperation, and contribute to shaping a more resilient global order.

 

4.      The ROK-Singapore Strategic Partnership will build on the positive momentum of bilateral relations and set the roadmap for deepening cooperation in a diverse range of forward-looking areas to bring tangible benefits to peoples and businesses on both sides. Under this Strategic Partnership, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the following five pillars:

 

 

I. Political, Security, and Public Sector Cooperation

 

5.      Both sides agreed to strengthen mutual trust and understanding by increasing high-level exchanges and regular engagements at all levels, between our governments, officials, businesses, and peoples. To this end, we will:

5.1.    Elevate the ROK-Singapore High-Level Policy Consultations to a Joint Steering Committee, co-chaired by the ROK’s 1^st Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Singapore’s Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs.

 

5.2.    Enhance bilateral and regional economic and financial cooperation through continuedhigh-levelpolicy dialogue between the ROK’s Ministry of Economy and Finance and Singapore’s Ministry of Finance.

 

5.3.    Launch the Singapura Programme as a visit programme for senior officials from the ROK to Singapore under the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore.

 

6.      Both sides agreed to explore ways to expand our defence and security partnership, which will strengthen our capabilities to safeguard regional security and contribute towards maintaining a free, open, inclusive, stable, and peaceful international rules-based order. We will:

6.1.    Pursue closer defence cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including through the regular conduct of bilateral defence dialogue and consultations, military exchanges, and joint R&D in defence technology, via the annual ROK-Singapore Joint Steering Committee on Defence Technology Cooperation. To further our cooperation in Defence Technology, both sides will renew the Information Exchange Agreement (IEA) on the Verification of Chemical and Biological Warfare Agents, and explore collaboration on a Project Agreement (PA) and/or a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to facilitate joint development in specific sectors, such as in microelectronics.

 

6.2.    Strengthen bilateral cooperation on cybersecurity across the strategic, policy, and technical domains, including operational collaborations, sharing of best practices and policies and regulations, uplifting cyber hygiene standards and resilience measures, and regional capacity-building activities. Both sides will include these areas of cooperation to be discussed underthe ROK-Singapore Cyber Dialogue. Both sides will also enhance cooperation at multilateral fora including the UN to promote an open, safe, secure, stable, accessible, peaceful, and interoperable cyberspace.

 

7.      Both sides agreed to strengthen public sector cooperation, share insights and best practices, and enhance our public sectors’ capacity. To achieve this, we will:

 

7.1.    Expand comprehensive cooperation in civil service administration, building upon the MOU on Public Personnel Administration between the ROK’s Ministry of Personnel Management and Singapore’s Public Service Division.

 

7.2.    Facilitate exchanges and mutual cooperation in the field of healthcare, including health security, healthcare technology and research and development (R&D), aged care, health regulation, and also forensic science, through an MOU on Healthcare Cooperation between the ROK’s Ministry of Health and Welfare and Singapore’s Ministry of Health, and an MOU betweenthe ROK’s National Forensic Service and Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority.

 

7.3.    Pursue cooperation in communicable disease control, further to the MOU signed between the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Communicable Diseases Agency of Singapore in May 2024. These include personnel exchanges, joint training programmes, and the exchange of technical expertise and public health intelligence, which aim to strengthen prevention, preparedness, and response capabilities, as well as promote collaborative research between the two sides.

7.4.    Explore enhancing regulatory collaboration in the areas of strengthening regulatory reliance, developing common approaches for evaluating Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled medical devices, exchanging knowledge on regulating emerging technologies, and improving post-market surveillance through shared safety data. This will build on the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) on Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) for Medicinal Products and the MOU regarding the Safety of Pharmaceutical Products, Cosmetics and Medical Devices signed between the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of the ROK and the Health Sciences Authority of Singapore in February 2024, which facilitates access to medicinal products for consumers in both countries while maintaining high quality and safety standards.

7.5.    Enhance law enforcement cooperation between the Korean National Police Agency and the Singapore Police Force in people-to-people exchange, investigative operations on fugitives, and efforts to combat transnational crime such as drug trafficking, online scams, money laundering, and cyber threats.

 

7.6.    Explore cooperation in public safety and security, and law and order applications of science and technology (S&T), including through the implementation of the Letter of Intent on S&T Cooperation for Public Safety and Security, which was concluded in 2023 between the Korean National Police Agency and Singapore’s Home Team Science and Technology Agency.

 

 

II. Trade and Economic Cooperation

 

8.      Both sides recognised the strong and dynamic economic partnership between the two countries, anchored by the Korea-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (KSFTA), which entered into force in 2006 and resulted in growing two-way trade and investment.

 

9.      Both sides will deepen our economic partnership to strengthen the dynamism and resilience of our economies and continue to boost trade and investment, so as to create opportunities and drive positive growth for both our countries. To this end, we will:

 

9.1.    Continue to discuss upgrading the KSFTA to expand cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

 

9.2.    Strengthen our efforts to facilitate agri-food trade to enhance food security and expand consumer choice, and work closely together on export and import quarantine procedures in support of these efforts.In October 2025, Singapore approved the import of frozen/chilled beef and pork from Jeju Island and heat-processed egg products from the ROK.

 

9.3.    Expand cooperation in digital trade and the digital economy, leveraging our respective experiences and strengths in innovation, with a view towards supporting digital transformation efforts in implementing concrete and tangible projects through the Korea-Singapore Digital Partnership Agreement (KSDPA), ASEAN-ROK Digital Work Plan, and continued collaboration through the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA). We are participants in the Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) on E-Commerce, which achieved a stabilised text in 2024, marking a milestone towards establishing global digital trade rules. We will work towards the incorporation of the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement and the Agreement on E-Commerce into the WTO framework.

 

9.4.    Collaborate on a joint training programme under the Singapore Cooperation Programme and the ASEAN-ROK Cooperation Fund (AKCF), to facilitate implementation of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) and support the region’s digital integration and transformation.

 

9.5.    Promote the continued expansion of ROK companies in Singapore, and Singapore companies in the ROK, including among start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

 

9.6.    Expand cooperation through the Supply Chain Partnership Arrangement to strengthen supply chain stability and resilience.

 

10.  Recognising the importance of enhancing domestic, bilateral, and regional connectivity for the further development of our economic partnership and people-to-people ties, we will:

 

10.1. Furtherenhance air connectivity between and beyond the ROK and Singapore.

 

 

III. Sustainability, the Green Economy, and Energy Transition

 

11.  Reaffirming the importance of strengthening action against climate change, both sides committed to strengthening cooperation on sustainability and the green economy, in support of the ROK’s and Singapore’s net-zero goals, and to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. We will:

 

11.1. Cooperate in the green economy and on climate change initiatives through the effective implementation of the MOU on Green Economic Cooperation concluded in 2023.

 

11.2. Support our respective countries’ efforts for decarbonisation and energy transition, including cooperation on power grid, energy efficiency, Carbon Capture and Storage and other related energy technologies.

 

11.3. Pursue cooperation on the decarbonisation and digitalisation of shipping between the ROK and Singapore through the establishment of an ROK-Singapore Green and Digital Shipping Corridor.

 

12.  Both sides reaffirmed our shared interest and vision to develop and promote the energy transition, including cooperation on green technologies and financing, while improving energy security and infrastructure. To that end, we will:

 

12.1. Advance our cooperation on energy security and resilience through the implementation of the MOU on Cooperation in the Field of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) concluded in October 2024.

 

12.2. Discuss standards and/or mutual recognition for low-carbon alternative fuels including ammonia, hydrogen, and its carriers on greenhouse gas emissions throughout the entire supply chain.

 

12.3. Cooperate on civil nuclear energy technologies, safetyand Emergency Preparedness and Response capabilities, and manpower capabilities, including through a bilateral Nuclear Cooperation Agreement.

12.4.  Explore sustainable financing solutions to transition to a low-carbon future.

12.5. Exchange information on digital sustainability in areas such as green software application and software carbon measurement.

13.  At the regional level, the ROK and Singapore will explore cooperation to contribute to the decarbonisation, energy transition, and energy security of ASEAN. This could involve joint efforts to support the implementation of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation, including the development of the ASEAN Power Grid.

 

 

IV. Advanced Technology and Research and Development (R&D)

14.  Acknowledging both countries’ respective technological strengths and the opportunities and benefits of frontier technologies, both sides committed to expanding cooperation and promoting exchanges, including between our Institutes of Higher Learning and research institutes, in forward-looking areas such as AI and other emerging technologies, communications infrastructure, and cybersecurity. We will:

 

14.1. Strengthen overall digital cooperation with the signing of an MOU on Digital Cooperation between the ROK’s Ministry of Science and ICT and Singapore’s Ministry of Digital Development and Information, including exploring the establishment of a Joint Committee in this field, if necessary, and by implementing the MOU between the Korea AI Safety Institute and the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore to advance the science of AI safety.

 

14.2. Explore collaboration on AI, including AI safety and governance, and exploring collaborations on AI projects with a view towards building a trusted AI ecosystem, including through both sides’ respective national AI safety institutes, AI industry development, including on industry applications of AI, embodied AI, and AI research and development.

 

14.3. Explore opportunities in research collaboration on 6G, Network Optimisation/Resource Optimisation (NO/RO), and AI Radio Access Network (RAN).

 

14.4. Exchange information on quantum-safe communications, including the quantum-safe technology value chain and ecosystem, as well as quantum-safe migration at the strategic and technical levels, and explore collaboration on quantum and quantum-safe technologies.

 

14.5. Jointly promote the free and secure flow of data through mechanisms and platforms such as contractual clauses and/or the Global Cross Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) Forum. 

 

14.6. Cooperate on Advanced Manufacturing Technology, through the effective implementation of the MOU on Technological Cooperation signed in October 2024.

 

14.7. Cooperate on the joint development of next-generation mobility solutions, including in Autonomous Vehicle technology, through the effective implementation of the MOU on Intelligent Transport Systems Cooperation concluded in 2022.

 

15.  Both sides will explore cooperation in joint R&D projects on environment, including through the implementation of the MOU on Space and Geospatial Information for Environmental and Pollution Issues signed between the National Institute of Environmental Research of the ROK and the National Environment Agency of Singapore in July 2023. Both sides have advanced cooperation to improve the monitoring and forecasting of air quality in Southeast Asia.

 

 

V. People-to-People Exchange

 

16.  The ROK and Singapore enjoy strong people-to-people ties. In 2024, there were nearly 595,000 visitors from the ROK to Singapore, and approximately 375,000 visitors from Singapore to the ROK. Both sides also have strong and mutual appreciation for each other’s culture and heritage. Both sides decided to continue to deepen trust and understanding between our peoples, youth, and students, by promoting exchanges in art, culture, and in other areas of mutual interest. We will:

 

16.1. Strengthen cooperation to promote tourist flows.

 

16.2. Both sides will further promote mutual exchange for educational, social, and cultural experiences for future generations, and expand opportunities for youth exchanges through mutual invitations, nominations, and participation in youth-focused initiatives.

 

16.3. Advance cooperation in the arts and culture sector, including through an MOU on Cultural and Sports Cooperation between the ROK’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Singapore’s Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth.

 

16.4. Facilitate student and faculty exchanges between the ROK’s and Singapore’s Institutes of Higher Learning and strengthen cooperation in areas of mutual interest such as AI and digital education through joint initiatives between the educational authorities or institutions of both countries.

 

Regional and International Cooperation

 

17.  Both the ROK and Singapore share a strong interest in the stability, growth, and development of ASEAN. Both sides welcomed progress made in ASEAN-ROK Dialogue Relations, including the upgrading of ASEAN-ROK Dialogue Relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) on the occasion of the 35^th anniversary of ASEAN-ROK Dialogue Relations in 2024. Both sides also welcomed the adoption of the ASEAN-ROK Plan of Action (2026 to 2030), which demonstrated ASEAN’s and the ROK’s commitment to strengthen CSP.

 

18.  Both sides reaffirmed our strong support for ASEAN Centrality and the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). Both sides also reaffirmed our commitment to maintaining an ASEAN-centred, open, inclusive, and rules-based regional architecture that upholds international law, and to strengthening our cooperation, including on the AOIP’s four priority areas through ASEAN-led mechanisms.

 

19.  Both sides acknowledged the importance of strengthening economic cooperation as well as trade and investment linkages between the ROK and ASEAN and welcomed efforts to effectively implement the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Area (AKFTA) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement, as well as expand the RCEP’s membership. As coordinator for ASEAN-ROK economic relations, Singapore reaffirmed its commitment to facilitate and deliver a meaningful, forward-looking, and mutually beneficial AKFTA upgrade that is fit-for-purpose amidst evolving economic realities.

 

20.  Both sides share a common strategic economic vision committed to the principles of a rules-based multilateral trading system. Through continued multilateral cooperation, both sides remain active in laying the building blocks for a free, open, and inclusive trade architecture. Both sides support the World Trade Organization (WTO) and are committed to its reform and modernisation to ensure that it remains effective and relevant. Both sides are founding members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) established in 1989. Both sides note with appreciation the successful APEC 2025 Korea and its outcomes, and agree to continue to cooperate closely within APEC.

 

21.  Both sides reaffirmed the need to maintain peace, security, stability, safety, and freedom of navigation in and overflight above the South China Sea, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Both sides also affirmed the importance of the peaceful resolution of disputes, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS.

 

22.  Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearisation and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. Singapore reaffirmed its support for the ROK’s efforts to de-escalate tensions and resume dialogue with the DPRK.

 

Implementation

 

23.  Both sides agreed that their Foreign Ministries will review progress in the implementation of the ROK-Singapore Strategic Partnership, which will be regularly updated to ensure that cooperation between both countries remains relevant and future-ready. The Foreign Ministers will maintain oversight of the strategic direction of the bilateral relationship.

 

24.  This Joint Statement on the Strategic Partnership ushers in a new era in ROK-Singapore relations. Both sides expressed confidence that this will create further opportunities for our peoples to cooperate, and advance the peace and prosperity of our countries and the region.

 

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Annex B – List of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and Agreements under the ROK-Singapore Strategic Partnership (SP)

 

Information Exchange Agreement (IEA) on the Verification of Chemical and Biological Warfare Agents

 

MOU on Public Personnel Administration

 

MOU on Healthcare Cooperation

 

MOU on Cooperation on Forensic Science

 

MOU on Green and Digital Shipping Corridor

 

MOU on Digital Cooperation

 

MOU on AI Safety

 

MOU on Cultural and Sports Cooperation