New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar held discussions with South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun in Seoul on Wednesday, describing the engagement as timely in view of recent high-level political exchanges and the evolving global situation.
Welcoming his counterpart, Jaishankar said it was a pleasure to be back in Seoul and noted that the meeting followed a recent presidential visit, adding that the current geopolitical environment made bilateral cooperation particularly significant.
He recalled his multiple recent interactions with Cho Hyun, including meetings in New York, Kuala Lumpur, and Washington during the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, according to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs.
He also referred to engagements during the South Korean President’s visit and at the G7 summit in Evian involving the Indian prime minister and the South Korean president.
Jaishankar stressed that it was the responsibility of both foreign ministers to carry forward the relationship and coordinate the efforts of different parts of the government and economic sectors in both countries. He said the partnership needed to be forward-looking, especially in a more complex global order.
Emphasising shared values and trust, he noted that countries with aligned perspectives must work closely together in the current international environment. He added that recent leadership-level engagements had provided clear direction on strengthening bilateral ties.
Jaishankar also reiterated India’s commitment to fully realising the potential of the relationship, saying there was still considerable scope for further cooperation between the two sides.
He acknowledged Cho Hyun’s personal commitment to strengthening India-Republic of Korea relations since assuming office, noting that such efforts had been warmly reciprocated from the Indian side.
He concluded by expressing confidence in productive discussions ahead and in deepening the partnership further.
