External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held discussions on Thursday with a delegation of special envoys from the Republic of Korea (RoK), led by former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum. The meeting focused on strategies to bolster bilateral relations, specifically in crucial domains like economy, technology, defense, maritime security, and people-to-people exchanges. Jaishankar provided details of the meeting on his official X account, highlighting the discussions on economic, technological, defense, and maritime cooperation, as well as the expansion of people-to-people exchanges. This meeting occurs amidst concerted efforts by both nations to deepen cooperation in sectors such as green hydrogen, shipbuilding, investment, semiconductors, and regional security, especially within the Indo-Pacific region. Indian Ambassador to South Korea Amit Kumar had previously met with Kim Boo-kyum prior to the visit. The South Korean delegation also included Representative Lee Kai Ho and Democratic Party of Korea’s Supreme Council Member Song Sun-ho. The two sides explored opportunities to reinforce bilateral ties, focusing on peace, prosperity, and regional connectivity, within the framework of the multifaceted Special Strategic Partnership. The visit follows a recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Canada last month, where both leaders expressed their commitment to collaboration in trade, investment, green energy, and emerging technology. Initiatives like Korea Plus have been launched to promote Korean investments in India, and a Korea-India SME and Start-up Centre was established in Gurugram in 2019. South Korea’s total foreign direct investment (FDI) in India reached USD 8.02 billion as of June 2023.
