We are cousins, Indian Princess mother of millions of Koreans: South Korea on Intl Friendship Day

Sanjeev K Ahuja On Jul 30, 2021

Queen Huh Hwang-ok, formerly Princess Suriratna of Ayodhaya, India

NEW DELHI: South Korea on Friday remembered its former President Roh Moo-hyun who once said, “We are cousins” while commenting on Korea’s friendly relations with India.

On July 30 – the International Friendship Day, the Korean Cultural Centre (KCC) in India while celebrating the day with India, said, “For two countries holding cultural values in high regard, our friendship is sacred and set in stones since past and for years to come. India and Korea’s historical connection has roots in the Korean historical record Samguk Yusa.

As per Samguk Yusa, the Princess Huh Hwang-ok of Ayuta (speculated to be Ayodhya of India where her name was Princess Suriratna), set sail for a three-month journey about 2000 years back, using special stones to calm the waters on her way to Korea.

She landed safely on the shores of the Gaya Kingdom and married King Suro of the Geumgwan.

According to legend, they gave birth to ten sons and two daughters, who went on to continue the Gimhae Kim and Huh family line, which made about 5 million citizens of the Korean republic till about a few years back. The number has probably gone up to 8 million currently.

“We are cousins” proclaimed former Korean President Roh Moo-hyun.

During a visit to South Korea in 2012, Gursharan Kaur, wife of former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, inquired about the number of Indians living in Korea.

“Seven to eight thousand,” was the answer the then Indian Ambassador Vishnu Prakash gave her.

But then-South Korean President Lee Myung-bak’s wife, Kim Yoon-ok, gave a much higher number, saying that it was actually 5 million. Ms. Kim, herself, claimed to be one of them considering the Indian princess as the mother of many Koreans today.

Korea and India have commissioned many mutual understandings to further strengthen the bond of friendship in the contemporary world.

There have been many efforts like ‘Friendship Cooperation Agreement’, ‘Seoul-India Economic Exchange’, ‘Act East Policy, The new ‘Gyeongnam MICE’ for Indian markets and the ‘Indo-Korean Friendship Park, New Delhi to bridge cultural gaps between the two countries as a way for mutual development in political and economic spheres seemingly stems from the desire to embrace international connection through an ancient tale and carry on the legacy for generations to come, said a KCCI statement on Friday.

“For promoting these two countries` long friendship, we Korean Cultural Centre India has been working hard, and even we are presenting special events this year like “India-Korea Friendship Quiz, K-pop Contests, Special online exhibition, 60 Para Field Ambulance for commemorating Indian`s participation to Korean War on the 71st Anniversary of the war,” it added.