1. First Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam visited India from March 27 till 29, during which he held a meeting and a working luncheon with Secretary (East) Preeti Saran of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and paid a courtesy call on Minister of State for External Affairs V. K. Singh. On those occasions, the two sides discussed ways that the Republic of Korea and India can step up substantive cooperation in trade, investment and development; enhance strategic bond on political and security matters through high-level exchanges; increase cooperation on social affairs and culture, including Korean studies and tourism; and work together on the international stage.

2. Vice Minister Lim voiced hope that the ongoing negotiations on the revision of the ROK-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) will come to a smooth conclusion and help promote bilateral trade and investment. Bringing attention to the ROK’s financial assistance package of 10 billion US dollars for infrastructure development in India, he asked for the Indian government’s support for an early conclusion of the relevant projects. On a side note, he requested the Indian government make efforts to resolve challenges facing Korean companies in the country.

° The Indian side expressed hope for an expanded presence in India of Korean companies with state-of-the-art technology in various areas, including infrastructure development, ports, textile and electronics. The two sides, recognizing a great potential for increased trade and investment between their two countries, agreed to work together in the fields.

3. The two sides agreed to hold the ninth meeting of the foreign ministerial joint committee and the first vice foreign and defense ministerial (2+2) meeting in 2017; and to put into high gear high-level consultative mechanisms to seek to strengthen strategic coordination on political and security affairs.

° Vice Minister Lim asked for keen interest of the Indian government in the K-9 artillery and other bilateral defense cooperation projects. The Indian side expressed hope for increased participation of Korean companies in India’s defense industry projects.

4. Vice Minister Lim extended appreciation to the Indian government for its strong efforts to implement UN Security Council sanctions resolutions on North Korea, such as by including a larger number of items banned from trade with the North in its recently updated “Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020.” The two sides, recognizing the importance of resolving the North Korean nuclear issue, agreed to remain cooperative with each other to that end. In addition, they agreed to work closely together in fighting terrorism and on other international issues.

5. The Vice Minister and the Secretary, noting that India is the country of origin of the world’s second-largest number of tourists, shared the view that the ROK and India have a great potential for cooperation on tourism. They agreed to enhance understanding and bond between the peoples of their two countries by promoting Korean studies in India as well as exchanges of movies and other cultural contents.

6. On March 29, Vice Minister Lim will meet with Korean entrepreneurs in Mumbai, an economic and commercial hub in India, to learn about their challenges and encourage Korean companies to expand their presence in the country.

7. Vice Minister Lim’s visit to India, a major country in the Pacific region that is emerging as a world power, is seen to have served as an opportunity to increase substantive economic cooperation, to put into full gear the bilateral “special strategic partnership,” and thereby to expand the ROK’s diplomatic horizon.


* unofficial translation