Singapore, South Korea mark 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations

Singapore's President Tony Tan Keng Yam exchanged congratulatory messages with South Korean President Park Geun-hye to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, said Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in a statement on Tuesday.

President Tan said in his letter that the bilateral relations between Singapore and South Korea have grown from strength to strength over the past 40 years. The two countries have enjoyed multi-faceted ties which are underpinned by expanding economic cooperation.

President Tan noted that both countries have become each other' s top trading partners and are seeking to deepen cooperation in various sectors such as info-communication technology, real estate, SMEs and transport.

He also expressed confidence that Singapore's relations with South Korea will continue to strengthen in the years ahead.

President Park noted that the two countries have cooperated closely on various fronts, such as political, economic and cultural sectors, since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1975. There has also been unprecedented growth in bilateral trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges.

President Park also believed that there are untapped opportunities for cooperation between Singapore's knowledge-based economy and South Korea's creative economy. Endi