Seoul: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will make a state visit to India, the first by a South Korean leader in eight years, before heading to Vietnam, a presidential adviser said on Thursday.
Lee will start his April 19 to April 24 trip in New Delhi at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, presidential adviser Wi Sung-lac told a briefing, according to the Blue House’s website.
The leaders will hold a summit on April 20, with talks expected to cover cooperation in areas such as shipbuilding, artificial intelligence and defence.
Lee will attend a roundtable in India accompanied by business leaders from the two countries, the Blue House said.
Business groups are assembling an economic delegation of around 200 executives for the trip, Yonhap reported citing unnamed industry sources.
The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry will oversee the Vietnam leg, while the Federation of Korean Industries will coordinate the India leg, hosting business forums, meetings with government and business leaders, and the signing of memoranda of understanding.
The Vietnam delegation is expected to include the heads of South Korea’s four largest conglomerates, including Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung, and LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, Yonhap added.
The India delegation is also expected to include leaders from Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor Group and LG Group.
The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Korean Industries declined to comment.
South Korea is seeking to maintain close cooperation with India on energy supply chains amid turbulent global circumstances, Wi said, without elaborating. Lee is also seeking to resolve difficulties regarding immigration and residence procedures for South Koreans in India, he said.
India is a major market for South Korea’s biggest conglomerates, such as Hyundai Motor, which is seeking an annual production capacity of 1.5 million cars and listed a unit on India’s stock market in 2024.
Companies such as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics operate their manufacturing factories in India, with LG listing its Indian unit on the local stock market last year.
