Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung is set to hold summit talks with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Monday, focusing on expanding cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI) and nuclear energy.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this meeting marks the second summit between Lee and Wong in four months, following their previous discussions during Wong's visit to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. During that visit, the two countries upgraded their bilateral ties to a strategic partnership.
Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung noted in a written briefing that the summit is expected to reinforce existing bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, and infrastructure. Additionally, the talks aim to broaden collaboration in promising sectors such as AI and nuclear power.
To facilitate this cooperation, the two nations plan to sign five memorandums of understanding (MOUs) in areas including AI, small modular reactors, and digital science and technology. Following the talks, Lee and Wong will jointly announce their agreement to begin negotiations to upgrade the bilateral free trade agreement, which has been in effect since 2006 and currently covers goods and services.
Lee is also scheduled to meet separately with Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam ahead of the summit and will attend an orchid naming ceremony. This unique diplomatic and cultural event involves the official naming of a new hybrid orchid after distinguished guests.
In an effort to deepen AI cooperation, Lee will participate in the AI Connect Summit, a bilateral business forum that includes entrepreneurs and business leaders in the field. AI is a key area of cooperation between South Korea and Singapore, with South Korea excelling in semiconductors, data center infrastructure, and manufacturing AI, while Singapore leads in AI governance and regulation and serves as a hub for AI data in Southeast Asia.