Singapore’s Capella Hotel hosted a state dinner Monday evening where South Korean President Lee Jae-myung directly appealed to Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam for support in resuming dialogue with North Korea, according to statements released by both governments.
President Lee, speaking at the banquet, expressed his trust that Singapore would “continue to provide full support” for his administration’s efforts to establish communication channels with Pyongyang and make “substantial progress in peace on the Korean Peninsula,” Yonhap Infomax reported.
The request carries particular weight given Singapore’s historical role as a venue for high-level talks between North Korea and the United States. President Lee specifically referenced the location of the dinner as symbolic, recalling that it was at the Capella Hotel that Singapore previously facilitated a summit between the two countries. He described the setting as symbolizing “Singapore’s peace leadership in diplomacy, which has maintained friendly relations based on trust and respect with countries of different positions.”
President Tharman, in his toast speech, highlighted the shared trajectories of Singapore and South Korea, noting their parallel journeys of development despite differences in geography, history, and culture. He emphasized a common focus on maximizing the potential of their people through education and skills development, integrating into global markets, and prioritizing innovation. He acknowledged the significant presence of Korean companies, such as the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Centre, in Singapore, as well as Singaporean investment in South Korea’s data center sector, citing Princeton Digital Group and Empyrion Digital as examples.
The state visit marks 50 years of diplomatic ties between Singapore and South Korea, a relationship both leaders characterized as momentous given the stage of development both nations were at in 1975. No immediate response from President Tharman regarding President Lee’s specific request for support was publicly released following the dinner.
