From KL to Gyeongju: PM Wong heads to South Korea to attend Apec Summit
He will also be in Seoul this weekend for an official visit at the invitation of President Lee Jae-myung
[SINGAPORE] Not long after returning from an eventful Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong flies to South Korea on Wednesday (Oct 29) for a four-day working visit to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Economic Leaders’ Meeting.
He will arrive in the ancient southeastern city of Gyeongju in North Geyongsang province, where the Apec Summit meetings are being held.
According to South Korean media reports, Gyeongju – a coastal city a little over 80 km from the country’s second-largest city Busan – is currently under the highest security alert. Over 19,000 police officers, special forces and military personnel have been mobilised to secure the official venues and hotels, and protect the nearly two dozen world leaders in attendance.
Apec is a regional economic forum established in 1989 and currently has 21 member economies, including the United States, China, Japan, Indonesia and Australia. Collectively, they represent more than 50 per cent of global gross domestic product and are home to around 2.7 billion people, or 40 per cent of the world’s population.
US President Donald Trump is scheduled to touch down in Gyeongju on Wednesday in what will be the third and final leg of his Asia tour after earlier stops in Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo.
The highlight of his visit will be on Thursday when he meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in what will be their first in-person meeting since Trump began his second term in January this year.
BT in your inbox
Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.
Trump is expected to speak at the Apec CEO Summit luncheon on Wednesday but he is expected to leave South Korea before the leaders’ summit begins on Friday.
A statement from Singapore’s Prime Minister’s Office said that the Apec leaders will “discuss ways to promote trade and investment, harness the benefits of new technology such as artificial intelligence for trade, and respond to demographic changes in the Asia-Pacific region”.
While in Gyeongju, PM Wong will have meals and bilateral meetings with his counterparts. The Singapore delegation includes Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs Sim Ann.
SEE ALSO
After the Apec meeting is over on Saturday, PM Wong will continue his trip with a two-day official visit in Seoul at the invitation of South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. This will be PM Wong’s introductory visit to South Korea, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The two leaders will have a delegation meeting and hold a joint press conference to launch the upgrade of bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership. PM Wong will also be hosted to an official luncheon by the South Korean leader.
Singapore and South Korea have a bilateral free trade agreement that was signed in 2005. Last year, South Korea was Singapore’s seventh largest trading partner in goods, while Singapore was South Korea’s 10th largest.
Bilateral merchandise trade amounted to S$66.8 billion, which is more than 5 per cent of Singapore’s total trade with the entire world.
In 2024, South Korea became the first new member to accede to the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement, of which Singapore is a founding member along with New Zealand and Chile.
While in Seoul, PM Wong will be accompanied by his wife Loo Tze Lui, Senior Ministers of State Sim Ann, Tan Kiat How and Murali Pillai, and government officials.
During PM Wong’s absence, Deputy Prime Minister and Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong will be the Acting Prime Minister.
Copyright SPH Media. All rights reserved.
