Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, visited the Republic of Korea (ROK) at the invitation of Mr Moon Jae-in, President of Korea (ROK), on the 21st and 22nd of February 2019. The visit was part of a spike in high-level interactions between India and the Republic of Korea that began with President Moon’s visit to India for the Bilateral Summit in 2018. Prime Minister Modi’s visit provided a significant opportunity for the two leaders to review bilateral ties and share opinions on regional and global issues of mutual interest to strengthen the two countries’ Special Strategic Partnership, predicated on shared interests and values. The Prime Minister was awarded the 2018 Seoul Peace Prize during his visit.

Prime Minister Modi unveiled the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in South Korea:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a two-day visit to Seoul, South Korea’s capital, to strengthen strategic connections and expand bilateral cooperation in various areas, including historical and cultural ties. In Seoul, the PM of India inaugurated a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Yonsei University and described it as “extraordinary” because it was the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma. According to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is moving from an agricultural economy to one based on industry and services. He went on to say that the Indian economy’s foundations are healthy and that it is on track to becoming a $5-trillion market.

Historical and Cultural Ties:

India and South Korea (ROK) have long shared political, historical, and cultural ties.

HISTORICAL TIES:

  • Hyecho, a Buddhist monk from Korea at the time, arrived In India during his trips and pilgrimages in 723 AD, arriving in 724.
  • Civilisational ties trace back to antiquity, and India and South Korea established formal bilateral ties in 1962.
  • Ambassadorial relations were improved throughout the next decade. India donated field emergency services and supported the Resolution that put the Korean War to an end in 1950-53.
  • To keep India-ROK relations on a solid footing, both South Korean and Indian ministries have committed and made several agreements and partnerships. As a result, the connection has prospered and blossomed.
  • In 2014, just before the ascent of the then Chief of Gujarat, Narendra Modi, to power, the two countries deepened their Strategic Partnership.
  • The two countries elevated their relationship to a Special Strategic Partnership a year after Modi’s election, stressing deeper and more integrated defence relations.
  • The Republic of Korea and India currently have mainly cordial and productive relations. President Moon Jae-in and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the leaders of the two major nations, have formed a deep and strong personal bond through numerous visits and meetings.

CULTURAL TIES:

  • The cultural relations were formalised in April 2011 when an Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) was established in Seoul. In December 2013, a public-private partnership strategy was used to open a new culture centre in Busan.
  • In Daehangno, Seoul, a bust of Nobel Prize winner and well-known Indian writer Rabindranath Tagore was presented in May 2011.
  • Likewise, after the Prime Minister visited South Korea, many cultural linkages were formed.
  • Both countries have made significant measures to improve people-to-people connections and improve travel between them.
  • The Prime Minister of India presented South Korea with a sapling of the hallowed Bodhi tree, under which the Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment, as a token of peace and goodwill.
  • Similarly, on July 21, 2014, a bust of Mahatma Gandhi was presented at the Hongbeop-sa temple in Busan.
  • For the enrichment of Indian culture, the ICC in Seoul and Busan offers yoga and dance courses, both contemporary and classical.
  • The President and Prime Minister both urged for increased youth delegations to foster deeper understanding and contact between the two countries’ future leaders. The Indian side showed an interest in strengthening cooperation between the two educational institutes, particularly among language learning and relevant technology academic institutions.
  • To strengthen and widen people-to-people encounters, both leaders agreed to foster the formation of twin city and twin local connections.

Korea invited India to participate in the Masterpieces of Early Buddhist Sculpture exhibition, which will mark the tenth anniversary of the National Museum of Korea’s renovation and public inauguration. India accepted the offer and agreed to participate actively in the exhibition. The two presidents sought to foster mutual understanding and admiration between the two countries and expand their cultural ties.

Korea invited India to participate in the Masterpieces of Early Buddhist Sculpture exhibition, which will mark the tenth anniversary of the National Museum of Korea’s renovation and public inauguration. The two presidents sought to foster mutual understanding and admiration between the two countries and expand their cultural ties.

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), in partnership with the India International Centre in New Delhi, is hosting a two-day conference on Shared Heritage as a New Variable in Indo-Korean Relations. Korea warmly received the invitation. Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), in partnership with the India International Centre in New Delhi, is hosting a two-day conference on Shared Heritage as a New Variable in Indo-Korean Relations.

Conclusion:

Following Prime Minister India Narendra Modi’s visit to South Korea, the two leaders remarked that their shared dedication to values of democracy, open society, and a liberal international economic system has further cemented the cornerstone of the ROK-India Special Strategic Partnership. To raise the quality of bilateral relations, the two leaders agreed to contribute new substance, speed, and content to the partnership in a variety of areas, including historical and cultural ties, foreign affairs, defence, commerce and business, research & engineering and people-to-people exchanges, and regional cooperation.