India-South Korea ties: President Lee's visit 'turning point'
What's the story
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has said that an upcoming summit with India could be a "turning point" in bilateral ties. He made the statement during a meeting with the Korean community in New Delhi. The visit is aimed at deepening economic and strategic cooperation between South Korea and India, especially as India emerges as a key player in global production and supply chains.
Diplomatic visit
First visit by South Korean leader in over 8 years
President Lee's three-day state visit to India is the first by a South Korean leader in over eight years. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has called it an "important milestone" in the "India-South Korea Special Strategic Partnership." The visit started with a meeting between President Lee and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, before major events like a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan and paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.
Summit agenda
Bilateral summit with PM Modi
The highlight of President Lee's visit will be a bilateral summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House. The talks are likely to focus on expanding cooperation in key sectors such as semiconductors, defense manufacturing, and green energy. Trade relations under the "Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)" are also expected to be discussed during this high-level meeting.
Economic discussions
Business forum to be held during President Lee's visit
After the summit, both sides will issue a joint press statement outlining future cooperation. President Lee will also attend a business forum at Bharat Mandapam and meet President Droupadi Murmu. The visit comes on the back of a decade-long cooperation between New Delhi and Seoul since their relationship was upgraded to a "Special Strategic Partnership" in 2015.