President Murmu Hosts South Korean President Lee Jae Myung During Maiden India Visit

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday hosted a banquet at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, in honour of the South Korean President, Lee Jae Myung, who is on a three-day state visit to India. Vice President CP Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were also present at the banquet. Welcoming Korean counterpart Myung on his first visit to India, President Murmu appreciated him for his significant contributions to strengthening India-Korea bilateral relations, particularly as Chair of the Korea-India Parliamentary Friendship Group.President Murmu said that this visit by Lee Jae Myung, within the first year of his presidency, reflects the importance he attaches to our relationship. The President said that both India and Korea are vibrant democracies

that share common values. She was happy to note the recently established India-Korea Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Indian Parliament.

ALSO READ | Chips, Ships And 'K-pop': What PM Modi Said After Talks With South Korea PresidentIn another statement, President Murmu said that this will promote dialogue and exchanges between the Indian Parliament and the Korean National Assembly, further strengthening mutual understanding and trust.The President was happy to note that both sides have set an ambitious agenda for bilateral cooperation across several sectors, including shipbuilding, port development, digital cooperation, small and medium enterprises, steel, education, research, culture, and people-to-people contacts.She also noted that the two nations have adopted a Joint Declaration to resume negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). President Murmu said that India looks forward to advancing mutually beneficial trade relations and strengthening cooperation with Korea in areas such as AI, semiconductors, electronics, clean energy, services and tourism, the statement highlighted.

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The President said that India has skill, speed, and scale, while Korea has expertise in high-tech manufacturing. By combining our strengths, we can create numerous opportunities for our youth.She further added that India and Korea should explore opportunities for cooperation in green and clean energy, as well as other climate technologies, to secure a sustainable future for humanity.

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India-South Korea Set USD 50 Billion Trade Target by 2030

Earlier today, India and South Korea pledged to nearly double their annual trade to USD 50 billion by 2030 and committed to upgrading their comprehensive economic partnership pact within the next year, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted that both nations radiate a message of peace and stability amid the current global tension.Following talks between Modi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, the two sides inked 15 agreements including one to set up an industrial cooperation framework and another on steel supply chain to ramp up overall trajectory of ties.

India, Korea To Advance Energy Resource Trade

In another key development during Korean President maiden Lee Jae Myung's maiden visit to India, the two countries issued a joint statement on Energy Resource Security to advance "energy resource trade and investment cooperation" through the India-ROK Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and relevant bilateral frameworks. According to the energy cooperation framework between India and Korea, the two nations will: Maintain a stable, secure and reliable supply of energy resources to each other, including efforts by both countries to maintain open trade in naphtha and other petroleum products and cooperation in entire energy value chain.Explore closer collaboration among LNG-consuming countries.strengthen cooperation in the shipbuilding sector, including though not limited to, setting up shipyards in India, shipyard modernization, human resource development, and technology partnership.India and the ROK will also call on regional partners to join in ensuring global energy resource supply chains are kept open, for the benefit of the security and prosperity of our peoples.

South Korea First Lady Kim Hea Kyung Attends 'K-Dream Stage' in Delhi

With the excitement around K-pop culture at its peak in India, the 'K-Dream Stage: All India K-Pop Grand Championship' took place on Monday at the packed Yashobhoomi Auditorium in the national capital.South Korea's Kim Hea Kyung attended the K-pop contest, where she expressed hope for stronger people-to-people ties through cultural exchange, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.Kim Hea Kyung joined the annual contest hosted by the Korean Cultural Centre as a guest.Notably, she accompanied the President of South Korea, Lee Jae-myung, who is currently on his maiden state visit to India.Speaking at the event, Kim Hea Kyung highlighted how there has been a growing popularity of Korean culture in India. She also hoped for the contestants at the event to serve as a bridge between the two nations."I firmly believe that all of you here will become leading figures in shaping a new global wave of popular culture, including in India and Korea," she said in the address, as quoted by Yonhap.At the 'K-Dream Stage' event, audiences were treated to a series of K-Pop dance, singing competitions, and performances by invited artists.Popular K-pop boy band Younite also took to the stage at the event and performed for the audience.With inputs from agencies