SEOUL: President Lee Jae Myung will travel to India and Vietnam in a bid to deepen ties, strengthen economic partnerships and shore up coordination on energy and supply chains amid growing turmoil in the Middle East, according to Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday (April 16).
Lee heads to New Delhi from April 19 to 21 at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Lee's visit marks the first state visit by a South Korean president to India in eight years and the earliest state visit to India since the launch of a South Korean administration.
Lee will then travel to Hanoi from April 21 to 24 for a state visit hosted by Vietnam’s new leadership, in a reciprocal move following then-Communist Party General Secretary To Lam’s trip to South Korea in August last year. Lam was elected the country’s state president in April, concurrently serving as the party's general-secretary.
The India leg of the trip will be anchored by a full day of summit diplomacy on April 20 — including engagements such as an official welcoming ceremony, one-on-one and expanded talks, signing of memorandums of understanding, a joint press conference and a luncheon hosted by Modi.
“We expect to hold in-depth discussions across the full scope of the Korea-India special strategic partnership,” National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said during a press briefing.
Following the summit events, Lee will take part in a Korea-India business dialogue and a broader business forum before concluding his schedule in New Delhi with a state banquet.
Through Lee’s state visit to India, Wi underscored that Seoul expects “to strengthen coordination on regional and global issues.”
“The two leaders are expected to enhance cooperation on energy supply chains amid a rapidly changing international landscape, including the situation in the Middle East,” Wi said.
Wi added that Lee's visit will lead to “the full-fledged launch of South Korea’s Global South diplomacy.”
“India is a core Global South country and a key partner in expanding the scope of our pragmatic, national interest-centered diplomacy,” Wi said.
Wi further explained that Seoul expects “to create new momentum for bilateral economic cooperation,” including plans to support South Korean small and medium-sized enterprises entering the Indian market and to help them establish a stable operating environment.
“We aim to lay the groundwork for achieving $50 billion in bilateral trade by 2030 by accelerating negotiations to improve the Korea-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement," Wi said.
Wi furthermore underscored that Seoul expects to "open a new chapter in economic cooperation by identifying new projects in strategic sectors such as shipbuilding, maritime industries, finance, AI and defense."
In Vietnam, Lee and Lam are expected to “hold in-depth discussions on ways to strengthen strategic and mutually beneficial cooperation amid global uncertainty" on April 22, according to Wi.
On April 23, Lee is scheduled to meet separately with Vietnam’s No. 2 leader, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, and its No. 3 leader, National Assembly Chair Tran Thanh Man.
Lee will also attend a Korea-Vietnam business forum, where officials and business leaders are expected to explore ways to broaden cooperation in future-oriented sectors such as trade and investment, artificial intelligence, science and technology, and the energy transition, according to Wi.
Lee is set to conclude his visit with a joint tour of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel with Lam before returning to Seoul.
Wi underscored that Lee’s visit to Vietnam aims at “building the highest level of partnership through the early realization of reciprocal visits.”
“We expect this to serve as an opportunity to strengthen trust between the two leaders and to concretize a shared vision for future development,” Wi said.
Seoul also seeks to “advance strategic economic cooperation” with Hanoi through Lee’s trip.
“Both sides will work to strengthen cooperation with the goal of reaching $150 billion in bilateral trade by 2030 and expanding strategic collaboration in key sectors such as infrastructure and nuclear power,” Wi said.
“We also plan to enhance economic security partnerships, including cooperation on energy, supply chain stability and critical minerals.”
Wi further highlighted the goal of “expanding future-oriented cooperation” in areas such as science and technology, talent development and climate response, while reinforcing the foundations for increased tourism and people-to-people exchanges.
"We expect this trip, which will take Lee to two fast-growing countries in succession, to broaden the horizon of South Korea’s diplomacy and open up opportunities to advance strategic cooperation across a range of key sectors," Wi underlined. - The Korea Herald/ANN
