Ambassador of India, Mr. Vishnu Prakash hosted a reception today to mark the 63rd Republic Day of India, at the Millennium Seoul Hilton Hotel. H.E. Han Man Hee, Vice Minister for Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs, was the guest of honour. H.E. Park Suk Hwan, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade was also present. Over two hundred and fifty guests - comprising Korean dignitaries, entrepreneurs, intellectuals and journalists, Ambassadors, Friends of India and Indians – attended the event. Indian organizations including Air India, Tourism Board, Indian Overseas Bank, Tata Daewoo and Mahendras availed the opportunity to introduce their products and services.
Welcoming the guests, Ambassador Prakash characterised today’s India as a young, aspirational, vibrant and multicultural democracy, as well as, the second fastest growing major economy in the world. He highlighted India’s ‘Look East Policy’ and expressed great satisfaction at the transformation of India - South Korea relations in recent years, especially since the landmark visit to India of President Lee Myung-bak in January 2010, as the Chief Guest during India’s Republic Day celebrations. He noted that both countries were strategic partners, and were determined to craft an extensive and enduring partnership, that would also be conducive to peace, stability and growth, in both our regions and in Asia as a whole. Speaking of growing people to people contacts, the Ambassador underlined that the opening of the Indian Cultural Centre in Seoul last May, had led to a blossoming of bilateral cultural ties.
Speaking on the occasion Vice Minister Han Man-hee hailed India’s incredible economic growth and welcomed the marked increase in bilateral trade to over $ 20 billion in 2011, consequent to operationalization of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and South Korea in Jan 2010. He spoke of the numerous areas of bilateral cooperation such as, pursuing green growth and addressing the global financial crisis. He fondly reminisced about his own very successful visit to India last year, to identify areas of closer cooperation in the infrastructure sector.
Vice Minister Park, Dean of the diplomatic corps and the SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) Ambassadors, joined Vice Minister Han and Ambassador Prakash in cutting the cake and commencing the celebrations.
