President Lee Begins State Visit to Singapore
First Engagement: Meeting with Local Korean Community
"Contact Us Anytime If You Need Anything"
President Lee Jae-myung is giving a greeting at the Korean community dinner meeting held on the 1st at a hotel in Singapore. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
President Lee Jae-myung stated, "I recently instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to conduct a comprehensive survey of the petitions and suggestions from Korean communities around the world," adding, "Approximately 1,400 petitions have been received and reviewed so far. This is an unprecedented and extensive undertaking that no previous administration has ever attempted."
On the afternoon of March 1 (local time), President Lee made these remarks while attending a dinner meeting for overseas Koreans at a hotel in central Singapore, saying, "If there is any area where you need assistance in serving as a bridge between the two countries, please feel free to contact the government at any time, without reservation."
President Lee also commented, "The number of petitions is not as high as I had expected. There are reportedly over 7 million overseas Koreans worldwide, so it is unlikely that there are only 1,400 petitions," and added, "This indicates that our overseas diplomatic missions need to engage more actively with Korean nationals abroad and seek out their opinions."
He further promised, "We will provide maximum support and work together to ensure that our overseas citizens do not experience any inconvenience and that your communities can function and thrive without hindrance."
President Lee also pledged, "We will address the necessary issues as quickly as possible. While it may be difficult to resolve every petition, this demonstrates our unwavering commitment as a government of popular sovereignty to listen closely to each and every voice of the sovereign people."
President Lee Jae-myung and First Lady Kim Hye-kyung are saluting the national flag at the Korean community dinner meeting held at a hotel in Singapore on the 1st. Photo by Yonhap News
On this day, President Lee explained that last year, Korea and Singapore celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations by elevating their partnership to a "strategic partnership," thereby strengthening the level of cooperation between the two countries.
President Lee emphasized, "The two countries have agreed to further strengthen cooperation in trade and investment, and to broaden their collaboration into future strategic sectors such as artificial intelligence, the green energy transition, and defense industry. By promoting exchanges in tourism, education, and culture and the arts, we will further reinforce our global partnership."
Addressing the attendees, President Lee said, "Korea and Singapore have both overcome the challenge of limited natural resources by investing in human capital, making us ideal partners for each other. At the center of this partnership are all of you-the Korean community."
He continued, "I ask that, building on the passion and capabilities you have shown so far, the Korean community in Singapore will continue to play a vital role as valuable human resources for Korea and as civilian diplomats, helping to open a new future for both nations together."
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