Lee's special envoy delivers letter to Modi, pledges deeper Korea–India ties
Lee's special delegation to India, led by former Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, met with Modi as well as key figures from the Indian government and parliament on Thursday and Friday in New Delhi, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said Friday.
'The special delegation paid a courtesy visit to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, personally delivering a letter from President (Lee) containing his message on strengthening Korea–India relations,' the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said.
The delegation also 'expressed the firm commitment at the leadership level to advancing the Korea–India Special Strategic Partnership, which marks its 10th anniversary this year.'
India is one of the few countries with which South Korea has established a 'special strategic partnership,' alongside Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan.
In response, Modi expressed his hope that President Lee would visit India, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said.
Lee and Modi held summit talks in Canada on the sidelines of the Group of Seven or G7 summit in mid-June, less than two weeks after Lee's inauguration.
During the meeting, Lee's special delegation also 'called for India's special attention and support for the South Korean government's efforts to achieve substantive progress toward resolving the North Korean nuclear issue and establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula.'
Lee's delegation also 'expressed hope that the two countries would continue to strengthen strategic cooperation in areas such as the defense industry and key technologies,' the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said.
In return, Modi 'expressed strong interest in cooperation with Korea, particularly in the shipbuilding sector, where Korea leads the world,' underscoring that 'now is the ideal time for Korean companies to enter the Indian market, given India's rapid and stable development,' the ministry added.
The Korean special delegation asked Prime Minister Modi for India's continued support for Korean companies operating in the country. Modi responded that India would do its utmost to resolve the challenges faced by Korean businesses, according to the Foreign Ministry in Seoul.
During their trip to New Delhi, the delegation also held a luncheon meeting with Periasamy Kumaran, joint secretary at India's Ministry of External Affairs, on Thursday. On the same day, they met with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. On Friday, the delegation met with Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
President Lee this week dispatched special envoys to several countries—including India, the European Union, France, and the United Kingdom—as part of the first batch of diplomatic missions abroad since his inauguration on June 4.
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