S. Korean leader's India trip to set milestone in ties

By Lee Chi-dong

SEOUL, Jan. 20 (Yonhap) -- India's invitation to President Lee Myung-bak to its Republic Day event next week reflects the country's "respect and regard" for South Korea and portends future-oriented relations between the emerging economies, India's top envoy here said.

Lee plans to embark on a four-day visit to India on Sunday, his first overseas
travel this year, during which he will hold a summit with Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh and attend the Republic Day street parade, one of India's largest national
celebrations, in New Delhi.
Lee's aides said the choice of India as his first destination demonstrates
Seoul's push for better relations with the Asian neighbor, especially since their
free trade pact, the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), came
into force on Jan. 1. They said Lee has scheduled his trip there to attend the
public ceremony slated for Jan. 26.
India annually invites a foreign head of state to the spectacular event to mark
the adoption of its constitution and its transition from a British dominion to a
republic in 1950. Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev was invited as
"Chief Guest" last year. Russian leader Vladimir Putin and French President
Nicolas Sarkozy attended it in 2007 and 2008, respectively.
The invitation of Lee "shows respect and regard India has for South Korea," Amb.
Skand R. Tayal said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency at his office in
Seoul. "It also reflects future-oriented relations with South Korea we are
looking at. It's an honor to the people of Korea and the country itself."
The envoy stressed that the CEPA will facilitate more mutual investments. Two-way
trade totaled US$15.5 billion in 2008. The CEPA is expected to boost their trade
volume by 15 percent annually on average.
"India offers profitable opportunities to dynamic Korean companies to make India
a base for manufacturing," he said. "We are also looking for a strong partnership
in the services sector. We hope that Indian IT companies would enter into major
collaborative projects with Korean companies, which would be advantageous to
both."
Tayal said the South Korean president's upcoming visit will offer another chance
for the two sides to improve bilateral relations. They forged a consular-level
relationship in 1962 and upgraded it to the ambassadorial level in 1973.
"The entire range of the growing and friendly bilateral relations between the two
countries would be reviewed," he said, adding their leaders will sign a set of
agreements to work together in space program, science and technology, and
regional and global affairs.
The ambassador said India fully supports Lee's "New Asia Initiative" aimed at
improving Seoul's relations with Asian nations, saying India launched a "Look
East" policy in the early 1990s in a similar effort.
Noting South Korea's successful bid late last year to construct four nuclear
reactors in the United Arab Emirates, he expressed hope for future cooperation in
the area between the two countries.
"South Korea's capacity to build and operate nuclear power plants is well-known,"
he said. "There have been preliminary contacts already between Korea Electric
Power Corp. and India's Nuclear Power Corp. for possible partnership."
He said South Korea's hosting of G-20 economic summit in November will help
enhance its global status, but Seoul also has responsibility as a chair country.
"Korea is well-positioned to coordinate differences between developing nations
and developed ones," he said, citing Korea's rapid economic recovery, experience
of rising from a poor nation, and friendly relations with other member states
both economically and politically.
"Korea is in a good position to play the role of harmonizing all the views," he
said.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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