President Lee Jae Myung on Monday described the current global climate as one of “hyper-uncertainty,” finding common ground with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong as the two leaders met for a summit in the city-state and pledged to deepen economic, technological and security ties. They also formally opened negotiations to modernize their two-decade-old free trade agreement, a concrete step toward reshaping their partnership around artificial intelligence (AI), nuclear energy and supply chain security. Speaking during the meeting at Singapore’s government complex, Lee said that navigating intensifying geopolitical tensions and economic volatility required “true partners who can be trusted to overcome difficulties together.” He added that he hoped to work closely with Wong during his term to “set a new milestone” in bilateral relations, reaffirming Korea and Singapore as strategic partners bound by mutual trust and a shared long-term vision. “Through this visit, I look forward to elevating cooperation in trade and investments, which have driven the development of ou