New Delhi, 20 April (H.S.):

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, who is on a three-day visit to India from April 19 to 21, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday. President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi received him in the traditional manner.

President Murmu said on social media that she had formally welcomed the South Korean President at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also noted that India remains committed to advancing its special strategic partnership with South Korea. He said President Lee was welcomed by President Murmu and Prime Minister Modi in keeping with tradition.

Earlier in the day, President Lee paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. Sharing the development online, Jaiswal said the South Korean President had honoured the values of peace and non-violence by offering floral tributes to Gandhi, reflecting a shared commitment to peace, harmony and a better world.

India and South Korea established their special strategic partnership in 2010, and cooperation has since expanded across defence, trade, technology, semiconductors, batteries, cybersecurity and the Indo-Pacific region. South Korea is one of India’s key trading partners, with bilateral trade exceeding 30 billion dollars.

High-level discussions are expected during the visit, with trade, defence cooperation, technology transfer and peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific likely to figure prominently on the agenda.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar