SINGAPORE – Singapore and South Korea formally elevated their bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership on 1 November 2025, with Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung jointly signing the accord in Seoul. The upgrade builds on five decades of diplomatic ties and lays the foundation for deeper cooperation across economic, technological and defence domains.
During a joint press conference, Mr Wong noted that the timing of the upgrade coincides with the 50th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations between the two nations, underscoring how far the relationship has progressed since 1975. He said: “We transformed our economies – each charting our own path, but always working closely together for mutual benefit. Today, our partnership is stronger than ever.”
Under the new framework, eight memoranda of understanding (MOUs) were signed covering key areas such as a green and digital shipping corridor, next-generation energy solutions (including ammonia and hydrogen), artificial intelligence governance, cyber-security collaboration and defence technology. The shipping corridor aims to support the maritime sector’s transition to zero- or near-zero-emissions fuels and accelerate digitalisation across ports and logistics networks.
Mr Wong emphasised that the partnership will not only deliver value for Singapore and South Korea, but also serve as a model for regional cooperation. He highlighted Singapore’s role as “country coordinator for ASEAN‐Korea economic relations” and pointed to planned efforts to upgrade the ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Area (AKFTA) in early 2026.
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From Seoul’s perspective, President Lee described the upgraded ties as essential to navigating an evolving economic and security environment: “We will work together to respond to the evolving economic and security environment, while further strengthening cooperation in advanced technologies and expanding people-to-people exchanges.”
The accord covers deepening public-sector collaboration, expanding defence ties, and broadening people-to-people links in education, arts, culture and sports. Among the concrete deliverables is a first-time agreement allowing beef and pork exports from Jeju Island to Singapore, enhancing trade in agricultural products.
Analysts view the strategic upgrade as part of Singapore’s broader effort to build a network of trusted partners amid global uncertainty. Mr Wong remarked that “in this uncertain and rapidly changing world, partnerships between like-minded countries like Singapore and Korea have become ever more vital.”
The enhanced ties signal a strategic shift from transactional bilateral relations to a comprehensive platform that addresses innovation, sustainability, security and connectivity—reflecting both countries’ ambitions to do more than just trade, but to cooperate for regional peace, stability and shared prosperity.
