Republic of Korea (ROK) Minister of National Defense Lee Jong-Sup is in Singapore for an official visit and to attend the 19th Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD). Lee called on Minister for Defense Dr Ng Eng Hen at the Shangri-La Hotel June 10.

During the meeting, both Ministers reaffirmed the warm and growing bilateral defense relations between Singapore and the ROK. They exchanged views on regional security developments and discussed ways to enhance bilateral and multilateral cooperation such as in chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives (CBRNE) defense and in the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM)-Plus. 

This was underscored by the signing of an Enhanced Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Defense Cooperation. First signed by then-Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Teo Chee Hean and then-ROK Minister of National Defense Kim Tae-Young in December 2009, the MOU served to formalize existing defense cooperation and provided a framework to broaden defense cooperation. 

The enhanced MOU furthers cooperation between both defense establishments to institutionalize dialogues and cooperation in maritime security, CBRNE, cybersecurity, military museum development and multilateral frameworks such as the ADMM-Plus.

The Ministers also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between So Drama! Entertainment (SDE)[1] and the ROK’s Defense Media Agency on Exchanges and Cooperation in the Field of Media Production and Technology. 

The Memorandum, signed by Deputy Secretary (Policy) Teo Eng Dih and Chief of the ROK Defense Media Agency Park Chang-Shik, enhances cooperation between both defense media agencies in defense content production, media technology, and industry partnerships.

Photo credit: Singapore Government.  Dr Ng (right) signed the Enhanced Memorandum on Defense Cooperation with Lee (left) on the sidelines of the 19th Shangri-La Dialogue.