South Korea and Singapore launch AI, tech push at leaders’ c

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong agreed to deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence, nuclear energy and advanced technologies during a summit in Singapore on Monday.

Speaking at a joint press conference, the two leaders announced the launch of negotiations to upgrade their existing free trade agreement, which first came into force in 2006. The move signals a broader push to modernise economic ties amid rapid technological change, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

The countries also signed five memoranda of understanding covering cooperation in key sectors. These include small modular reactors (SMRs) for nuclear power generation, artificial intelligence, quantum science and space satellite technology, according to South Korea’s presidential office.

Investment collaboration is also set to expand. Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund Temasek and its asset management arm Seviora Group will explore partnerships with state-run Korea Development Bank, Lee said.

Beyond economic and technological cooperation, the leaders discussed global security challenges. Lee noted Singapore’s historic role as host of the 2018 U.S.–North Korea summit and expressed hope that the city-state would continue to play a constructive role in promoting peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Both sides also exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East, particularly its impact on global energy markets, supply chains and security. They expressed a shared hope that stability would be restored.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada