From food to culture: South Korea hosts activities to mark 50 years of diplomatic ties with Singapore
SEOUL: As Singapore and South Korea mark 50 years of diplomatic ties this year, the two countries are looking to upgrade their free trade agreement and widen cooperation in areas such as education, defence and cybersecurity.
To celebrate the occasion, a slew of activities – from food to the arts – are also being lined up to bring a slice of Singapore to Seoul.
Last month, for instance, South Koreans were treated to a performance by Singapore contemporary dance group T.H.E Dance Company at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul.
The event was put together to deepen cultural understanding between both sides, which established diplomatic ties in August 1975.
UPGRADING RELATIONS
Singapore's Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Eric Teo said the two countries have treaded a similar path without any natural resources, relying only on their people to attain success.
'We not only rank among each other's top 10 trading and investment partners, we also collaborate closely in new and emerging areas such as digital economy, artificial intelligence and startups, energy, sustainability and many other areas,' he added.
'We are looking forward to upgrading our relations to a strategic partnership this year, during the 50th anniversary."
South Korea's National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik also praised the close bilateral ties, saying he plans to travel to Singapore this year.
In February, his Singaporean counterpart, Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng, visited Seoul and met with Mr Woo. Both sides exchanged views about the common challenges on global developments and ways to boost inter-parliamentary ties.
"High-level exchanges are extremely important. In that sense, following the speaker's visit to Korea, my visit to Singapore and the participation of our leaders in APEC, I believe we can achieve not only progress in a single area, but development across many fields,' said Mr Woo, referring to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum to be hosted in South Korea this year.
Former South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan said he believes the relations between Singapore and South Korea will be further strengthened.
"Singapore is a gateway for the Korean government as well as the Korean business circle to Southeast Asian countries,' he added.
'ASEAN is very important for Korea. So I think it's inevitable that Korea and Singapore have to cooperate with each other to strengthen our participation in Southeast Asian countries."
LOVE FOR FOOD
Also last month, the Singapore Embassy in Seoul hosted a food carnival to celebrate the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations.
Ambassadors and current and former lawmakers attended the event to sample 50 Singaporean dishes including chilli crab, laksa and kaya toast.
Ambassador Teo said Singaporeans and Koreans share a love for food, 'with cuisine woven into the fabric of our daily life'.
More Singaporeans have also set up food and beverage businesses in South Korea.
Singaporean Joel Lim started his restaurant in the South Korean capital about five years ago, naming it One Degree North, after Singapore's geographic coordinates.
Business was tough in the early days, when Mr Lim first moved there in 2019 after marrying a South Korean. One Degree North started out as a delivery-only Asian roast joint during the COVID-19 pandemic.
These days, the eatery fills up fast at peak hours with patrons hungry for a taste of Singapore's hawker food like chicken rice.
The restaurant owner told CNA he takes pride in having introduced Singaporean cuisine to South Koreans.
'Especially during COVID when we started, I felt like we kind of bridged the gap and allowed Koreans to have a little mini-vacation (by) coming here to try the food,' he added.
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