Korean Annual Investment crosses US $ One billion mark in India
The Korea has termed the rise in Korean investment as the lighting ‘Lamp of East’ for the illumination of Korea-India relations.
NEW DELHI. While referring to the short poem by the India Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, calling Korea the ‘Lamp of the East’, Shin Bong-kil, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea in India has said that the Lamp of East has finally lit.
Shin Bong-kil was referring to the steep rise in foreign direct investment (FDI) by Korean companies in India in the year 2018 that grossed the US $ 1.053 billion, the all-time high in the history of Korea-India bilateral trade.
It was in 2018 only when the Korean FDI touched almost US $ 6 billion mark (5.95) and the bilateral trade too was registered at US $ 21.5 billion figure.
In 1929, in his quatrain, Rabindranath Tagore had written: “In the golden age of Asia, Korea was one of its lamp bearers, and that lamp is waiting to be lit, for the illumination of the East.”
“Tagore’s proverbial lamp has been lit, and this time for the illumination of Korea-Indian relations,” said during the reception hosted to commemorate National Day of South Korea on October 4 at the Embassy of Republic of Korea in New Delhi.
The Korean ambassador also formally released a postal stamp on the theme “Queen Huh Hwang-ok of Korea”. The release of the stamp is based on an interesting story of Princess Suriratna of Indian holy city Ayodhya getting married to a Korean king some 2000 years ago, and starting the Karak dynasty there. After marriage, the princess was given name – Queen Huh Hwang-ok. At some places, her name is spelled as Heo Hwang-ok also.
Present on the occasion included the Ambassador of Japan in India Kenji Hiramatsu, the Ambassador of Royal Thai Embassy Chutintorn Sam Gongsakdi, diplomats and defense attache from other embassies, politicians, corporate honchos, Indian trade associations like CII, India-Korea War Veteran Association and others.
Dr. Aseem K Chauhan, chancellor, Amity University, Rabindra Nath Sachdev, foreign affairs experts and President of Image India Institute, Dr. Kwon Hyang Eun, Korean Counsellor, UNICOSMOS, Rajesh Dhingra, CEO & President Reliance Defence Limited, Sanjay Chandok, Co-convener, Foreign affairs, ALll India Congress Committee, Dr. Amarpreet Duggal, DDG (Philately), Department of Posts and Director SPMCIL and Rajiv Kumar from CII also attended the reception.
The guests witnessed the cultural programs presented by the Indian and Korean students who also sang a Hindi song from Bollywood movie “Lakdi ki Kathi, Kathi pe Ghoda”.
Others present on the occasion were Kim Kum-pyoung – Director of Korean Culture Centre, Yoo Chang-ho Minister Counsellor, Col. Lee In the Korean Defence Attache, Moon Young Kim, President, KOTRA Southwest Asia, Head office, Euy Don Park, chairman, Korean Association in India, Y K Lee the chairman of KOSMA, and Hee-chul Jung the chairman of Korea International Trade Association, India.
On this occasion, the Embassy premise was very well decorated and illuminated with dazzling lights giving the venue a glimpse of the celebration of National Day of South Korea.
