SEOUL - SOUTH Korea is in favour of setting up a Korean Culture Centre in Singapore to showcase its movies and pop culture to Singaporeans as well as the wider South-east Asian region.

South Korea's President Lee Myung Bak said on Wednesday night he supported the suggestion made to him by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong when they met earlier in the day.

A Korean Culture Centre could enable Seoul to ride the 'Korean wave' to deepen its relationship with the region, PM Lee said, when asked by reporters. 'Korean movies are very popular, (so too) pop songs,' he noted.

Speaking to the Singapore media after the hour-long bilateral meeting, PM Lee said they had a good meeting. This stemmed from excellent bilateral relations, and relations forged via Asean and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) get-togethers.

Apart from the culture centre, the Singapore leader also suggested that South Korea consider joining the Trans-Pacific Strategic Partnership (TPP), a free trade arrangement between Singapore, Brunei, New Zealand and Chile.

Both leaders also discussed North Korea's recent nuclear test and missile launches. PM Lee reiterated Singapore's support for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula through peaceful means.

South Korea has been seeking enhanced ties with the 10-member Asean grouping, through the New Asia Initiative launched by President Lee this year.

This week, it marked 20 years of being a dialogue partner with Asean at a summit on the Jeju tourist island. An investment agreement was signed, completing the Asean-Korea Free Trade Agreement that both sides hope will boost mutual trade amid the economic crisis.

PM Lee, who attended the summit, said closer ties between Korea and Asean will be a plus for Singaporeans in terms of job and investment opportunities.

He will leave for China, the second leg of his week-long North-east Asia trip, before returning to Singapore on Sunday.

Read the full report in Thursday's edition of the Straits Times

kianbeng@sph.com.sg