Digital Trade Agreements as Platforms for AI Cooperation: A Case Study of Singapore's Strategic Approach

Purpose : This study analyzes Singapore's digital trade policies and international technology cooperation in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector to derive practical implications for South Korea's digital trade policy. Singapore has been building a systematic AI governance framework through the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA) and bilateral digital trade agreements with Australia, the UK, South Korea, and the EU to establish itself as a global AI hub. Research design, data, methodology : This paper analyzes AI-related provisions across Singapore's digital trade agreements, examining their differentiated approaches and common principles. It compares key elements of bilateral agreements with DEPA, focusing on how these agreements incorporate internationally recognized principles such as explainability, transparency, fairness, and human-centric values. The study develops an "Agreement-Policy-Implementation" linkage analysis framework to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of digital trade agreements. Results : According to the analysis, ASDEA emphasizes concrete cooperation measures, UKSDEA focuses on technical elements such as algorithmic transparency, and EUSDEA highlights interoperability of AI governance systems, demonstrating differentiated approaches across agreements. All agreements incorporate internationally recognized principles including explainability, transparency, fairness, and human-centric values. Conclusions : This study introduces a new analytical framework for evaluating the effectiveness of digital trade agreements and recommends that South Korea develop tailored cooperation strategies reflecting its own digital ecosystem. For AI cooperation between Singapore and South Korea to move beyond declarative commitments, both countries must build a sustainable international collaboration framework that enhances social responsibility alongside technological innovation.