South Korea targets India, Vietnam in ‘co-prosperity’ push for trade and tech

AdvertisementSouth KoreaThis Week in AsiaPoliticsSouth Korea targets India, Vietnam in ‘co-prosperity’ push for trade and techPresident Lee embarks on a strategic trip to New Delhi and Hanoi, boosting economic ties and supply chains amid the Middle East chaos 3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenPark Chan-kyongPublished: 9:30am, 20 Apr 2026Bolstering strategic partnerships and economic ties will be high on the agenda during South Korean President Lee Jae Myung’s six-day trip to India and Vietnam, as Seoul seeks to expand cooperation with the Global South amid the Middle East turmoil.Lee, who arrived in New Delhi on Sunday, is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, business leaders and Korean expatriates before concluding the visit on Tuesday.National security adviser Wi Sung-rak said South Korea will “comprehensively strengthen the special strategic partnership and present a vision for expanding mutually beneficial and strategic cooperation” with India, calling it a “key partner in expanding the scope of our pragmatic diplomacy centred on national interests”.AdvertisementKang Jun-young, a professor of international relations at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, said that mounting global supply chain uncertainties – including energy security issues linked to the wars in Iran and Ukraine – and the intensifying US-China rivalry have prompted Lee to “broaden the country’s diplomatic horizon and diversify trade partners”.Seoul and Delhi aim to accelerate talks to upgrade their Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, with a goal of boosting bilateral trade to US$50 billion by 2030 from about US$27 billion last year. AdvertisementIn addition to enhancing coordination on regional and global issues, both sides are also expected to scale up their partnership in the shipbuilding, maritime industries, finance, artificial intelligence and defence sectors. AdvertisementSelect VoiceSelect Speed0.8x0.9x1.0x1.1x1.2x1.5x1.75x00:0000:001.00x