President Lee Jae Myung departed from Seoul on Sunday, March 1, for a two-nation swing to Singapore and the Philippines to expand cooperation with the Southeast Asian nations. The visit focuses on boosting trade, investment, infrastructure, and collaboration in sectors like artificial intelligence and nuclear energy. Cheong Wa Dae hopes the trip will enhance coordination with key Association of Southeast Asian Nations members and foster deeper ties with the regional bloc.
President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung waved before departing from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, south of Seoul, for Singapore on Sunday. Yonhap
President Lee Jae Myung departed for Singapore on Sunday, March 1, embarking on a two-nation swing through Southeast Asia that includes a three-day state visit to Singapore and a two-day state visit to the Philippines.
In Singapore, Lee will hold summit talks with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Monday, March 2, marking their second meeting in three months following Wong's visit to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in late October, where bilateral ties were upgraded to a strategic partnership.
The discussions are expected to cover ways to expand trade, investment, and infrastructure, as well as broaden collaboration in promising sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI) and nuclear energy, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said.
Lee is also scheduled to meet with Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, the ceremonial head of state, and attend AI Connect, a business forum involving business leaders and entrepreneurs from both countries in the AI field, on Monday.
On Tuesday, March 3, Lee will fly to Manila for a summit with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. the same day, their second summit after their first meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit in late October.
The talks are expected to explore ways to deepen cooperation in the defense industry, infrastructure, and trade, as well as in sectors including nuclear power, shipbuilding, critical minerals, and AI, Kang said.
Cheong Wa Dae expressed hope that the trip will promote coordination with key members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the international stage and help pave the way for deeper ties with the regional bloc.
This marks Lee's second trip to Southeast Asia since his first in October, when he attended the ASEAN summit in Malaysia. During that trip, Lee announced Seoul's "CSP" vision, outlining plans to serve as a "contributor" to dreams and hope among youth in ASEAN nations, a "springboard" for growth and innovation, and a "partner" for peace and stability.
