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Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Press Statements

Exchange of Congratulatory Letters to Commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Singapore and the Republic of Korea, 8 August 2025

Country

South Korea

8 August 2025

Singapore and the Republic of Korea (ROK) established diplomatic relations on 8 August 1975.

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Singapore and the Republic of Korea (ROK) established diplomatic relations on 8 August 1975. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan exchanged congratulatory messages with President Lee Jae Myung and Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun respectively. The text of the messages from President Shanmugaratnam and Minister Balakrishnan are appended below.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

8 AUGUST 2025

Congratulatory Letter from President Tharman Shanmugaratnam to President Lee Jae Myung

8 August 2025

His Excellency Lee Jae Myung

President
Republic of Korea

Your Excellency,

On behalf of the people of the Republic of Singapore, I extend my warmest wishes to you and the people of the Republic of Korea (ROK) on the auspicious occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries.

Singapore and the ROK have built a deep and abiding partnership over the past half century, with links between our peoples growing stronger every year. Our shared interest in upholding free trade, multilateralism, and the rules-based international order, coupled with our strong investment and economic links, have laid a strong foundation for our ties. We have growing cooperation in many new areas including climate change, the green economy, the digital economy, food security, research and development, and artificial intelligence. I am heartened that our countries will be upgrading relations to a Strategic Partnership later this year. This will offer further synergies and benefit our peoples.

I am confident that we will be able to take bilateral ties to greater heights in the years ahead. I look forward to meeting you soon. Please accept my best wishes for your good health and success.

Yours sincerely,

THARMAN SHANMUGARATNAM

Congratulatory Letter from Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun

8 August 2025

His Excellency Cho Hyun

Minister of Foreign Affairs 

Republic of Korea

Dear Minister Cho,

I am delighted that we are marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and the Republic of Korea (ROK) this year.

This is a significant milestone. Singapore and Korea are natural partners given our shared interest in supporting free trade, multilateralism, and a rules-based global order. We have similar strategic and regional outlooks. In this context, we have strengthened our engagement across existing and emerging sectors and our people have forged closer ties through regular interactions.

The upgrade of our relations to a Strategic Partnership later this year will pave the way for even closer collaboration in both existing and emerging areas. I look forward to working together to continue to broaden and deepen ties between our two countries.

I wish you continued good health and success, and look forward to meeting you soon.

Yours sincerely,

DR VIVIAN BALAKRISHNAN

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