President Lee Jae-myung of South Korea departed from Seoul Airport on the 1st for state visits to Singapore and the Philippines, aimed at expanding cooperation with ASEAN countries in sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI) and nuclear energy. Upon his arrival in Singapore, the President began his schedule with a dinner meeting with Korean expatriates. On the second day of his visit, he is set to hold a summit meeting and a friendly luncheon with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, and will engage in discussions with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, including a state dinner. There is also a planned 'AI Connect Summit' event to foster connections among AI leaders from both nations, emphasizing Singapore's status as a hub for transport, logistics, and finance, which recently marked its 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with South Korea by establishing a strategic partnership.