▲ President Lee Jae Myung (R) and first lady Kim Hea Kyung wave before departing from Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, south of Seoul, for Japan, in this file photo from Jan. 13, 2026. (Yonhap)
▲ President Lee Jae Myung (R) shakes hands with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong ahead of their talks in Seoul, in this Nov. 2, 2025, file photo. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)
▲ President Lee Jae Myung (R) and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. shake hands as they meet for summit talks in the southeastern city of Gyeongju, in this file photo from Oct. 31, 2025. (Yonhap)

Lee-Singapore

Lee set to depart for Singapore on two-nation Southeast Asia swing

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, March 1 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung was set to depart for Singapore on Sunday for a two-nation swing that also includes a visit to the Philippines to discuss ways to expand cooperation with the Southeast Asian nations.

Lee will make a three-day state visit to Singapore for summit talks with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Monday, their second summit in three months after they last met during Wong's visit to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, where they upgraded bilateral ties to a strategic partnership.

During the talks, Lee and Wong are expected to discuss ways to expand trade, investment and infrastructure and to broaden the 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, AI Connect, a business forum involving business leaders and entrepreneurs from both countries in the AI field, on Monday.

On Tuesday, Lee will fly to Manila for a two-day state visit and hold a summit with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on the same day.

It will also mark Lee's second summit with Marcos 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 promising sectors, including nuclear power, shipbuilding, critical minerals and AI, Kang said.

Cheong Wa Dae expressed hope that Lee's 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.

It marks Lee's second trip to Southeast Asia since his first in October when he attended the ASEAN summit in Malaysia.

During the 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.

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