Meeting with the President of Singapore
Proposal to Strengthen Cooperation in AI-Related Fields
President Tharman: "Accelerating Bilateral Relations Is Significant Amid Global Instability"
During his state visit to Singapore, President Lee Jaemyung remarked in a meeting with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam that there is much to learn from Singapore’s real estate policies. He also proposed to expand cooperation with Singapore, which is at the forefront of the artificial intelligence (AI) sector.
President Lee Jae-myung is meeting with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam after the official welcome ceremony for his state visit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Singapore on the 2nd. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
Before his summit meeting with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on the 2nd, President Lee met at the Singapore Government Complex and made these remarks. He stated, "I have had a special interest in Singapore’s real estate policies since my days as mayor of Seongnam many years ago," and added, "This visit is an opportunity to learn a lot about real estate policy."
He emphasized, "One of the similarities between Singapore and the Republic of Korea is that many people live in a small territory," and continued, "It is remarkable that Singapore has achieved tremendous economic growth in such a limited space, and yet housing and real estate are not social problems at all."
He also assessed there is much to learn from Singapore’s civil service culture. President Lee said, "Singapore’s civil service stands out for its integrity and competence," and explained, "Rewards and penalties are clear, and compensation based on performance is almost equivalent to that of private companies, which has preemptively eliminated opportunities for corruption."
He further proposed to strengthen cooperation in AI-related fields. President Lee remarked, "The core of Korea’s industrial economic policy is investment in future high-tech sectors, including AI," and noted, "Singapore is leading in the AI field, and there seems to be substantial room for cooperation in AI and strategic areas going forward." Addressing President Tharman, who previously served as Minister of Finance, he added, "I understand you are an outstanding economic expert, and I would like to hear much advice in that area."
In response, President Tharman said, "In recent years, relations between our two countries have rapidly accelerated in areas such as education, investment, research and development, and cultural exchange," adding, "This is even more significant in today’s highly unstable global environment." He continued, "Friend countries like Korea and Singapore need to further strengthen their relationship, and I have high expectations for the various documents to be discussed and signed today."
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