Toast Speech by PM Lawrence Wong at the Official Lunch Hosted by President of the Republic of Korea Lee Jae Myung

Your Excellency President Lee Jae Myung,
First Lady Mdm Kim Hea Kyung,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I thank President Lee and First Lady Kim for the warm hospitality extended to me and my delegation.

I have made many visits to Korea over the years, but this visit is special. It is my first Official Visit as Prime Minister, and it is taking place when our countries mark significant milestones in our independence, 80th anniversary for Korea, 60th anniversary for Singapore. And our two countries are also celebrating 50 years of diplomatic ties.

Over the decades, our two countries have grown ever closer – not just in government and business cooperation, but also in arts, culture, sports and in people-to-people bonds.

Many Singaporeans are passionate fans of Korean culture. We are inspired by your music, films and dramas. Korean cuisine too has become a staple of our dining scene in Singapore – from fine-dining restaurants to fast-casual outlets across our island.

I hope more Koreans will also come to know and experience Singapore for themselves. We are a small city-state, only slightly larger than Seoul, but we offer something unique – a rich multicultural heritage, where diverse traditions come together seamlessly in our City in a Garden.

Our citizens already travel regularly between our countries. Many have chosen to make each other’s countries their second home – strengthening the bonds of friendship and mutual understanding between our two peoples.

These human connections form the foundation for our robust and expanding trade and investment linkages.

Singapore is continuing to invest in Korea. At the same time, many Korean companies operate in Singapore, using our island as a springboard to expand overseas. They include household names like Samsung and LG which are trusted brands that are part of daily life of people everywhere.

Also, companies like Ssangyong Engineering and Construction that have helped to shape Singapore’s skyline – including building some of our iconic landmarks like Marina Bay Sands.

And others are breaking new ground with Singapore partners. Like Hyundai Motor Group, whose Innovation Centre is collaborating with a Singapore university and research institutions on AI and robotics.

Beyond economics, our cooperations spans a wide range of areas – defence, civil service exchanges and clean energy technologies.

Our relations are excellent across the board. Yet there remains tremendous potential to do even more together because we share similar strategic perspectives shaped by our common experiences as Asian Tigers that transform adversity into opportunity.

And I fully agree with what President Lee said just now, that our two countries can be two bright stars in an uncertain and unpredictable world that appears to be growing darker day by day. And that is why I am very glad that President Lee and I have been able to meet consecutively, almost every day this past week to build a deep bond of friendship and to be able to elevate our bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership.

We have now set out a clear roadmap to expand and deepen collaboration, including in forward-looking areas like AI safety and governance; to jointly contribute to the development of our region, and to tackle global issues, for example climate change.

Above all, our Strategic Partnership is a statement of shared conviction: that in these uncertain times, countries can and must work together – for mutual benefit, for the region, and for the greater good.

I know it is a Sunday and we are all supposed to have some leisure time, but I can think of no better way to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Singapore-ROK relations than with friends and partners like this.

I am confident that with our Strategic Partnership, and with President Lee’s support, Singapore-ROK relations will continue to grow from strength to strength – for the next 50 years and beyond.

President Lee, First Lady Kim, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, please join me in a toast now to:

The good health and happiness of the President and First Lady; and

The enduring friendship between Singapore and Korea, and our peoples.