How the Singapore-South Korea partnership builds Asia’s ‘innovation bridge’
The two countries’ collaboration reflects a deeper shift across the region: from competing for advantage to co-creating the future
WHEN Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung upgraded Singapore-South Korea relations to a strategic partnership on Nov 2, 2025, the announcement signalled more than a diplomatic milestone.
It reflected a shared conviction that Asia’s next wave of growth will be powered not by efficiency or cost advantage, but by strategic innovation – the ability to translate technological leadership into sustainable regional competitiveness.
As global supply chains realign and the green and digital transitions accelerate, Singapore and South Korea are choosing collaboration over competition.
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