“Shared Vision For Regional, Global Peace”: PM Modi Arrives In Seoul For His Two-Day Visit To South Korea

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in South Korean capital Seoul today (21 February) as part of his two-day visit to the Republic of Korea (ROK) to strengthen bilateral relations between the two democratic nations.

"We regard the Republic of Korea as a valued friend, a nation with which we have a Special Strategic Partnership. As fellow democracies, India and the ROK have shared values and a shared vision for regional and global peace," the Prime Minister had tweeted before his departure.

PM Modi is visiting the country on the invitation served by South Korean President Moon Jae-in. This is his second summit meeting with Moon Jae-in since 2015.

Strong Ties Between The Two Countries

“India-Republic of Korea (RoK) relations have made great strides in recent years and have become truly multidimensional, spurred by a significant convergence of interests, mutual goodwill and high level exchanges... Consistent Indian support for peaceful reunification of the two Koreas has been well received in this country,” notes an Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) report.

According to Statistics Korea, Indian exports to Korea accounted for $2.91 billion and imports account for $8.707 billion during January-July 2017, marking a growth of 26% and 30.1% respectively. Major Korean conglomerates such as Samsung, Hyundai Motors and LG have made significant investments into India, estimated at over $4.43 billion.

Also, 11,000 Indian nationals, including 120 PIOs (Person of Indian Origin) are estimated to be living in ROK. Around 1,000 Indian scholars are pursuing postgraduate and Ph. D programmes, mostly in pure sciences in Korea.

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