Seoul & the Indo-Pacific

• Context: The Camp David summit between the United States, Japan, and South Korea offers a unique opportunity for India to enhance its strategic partnership with South Korea, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.

 What is Camp David Summit?

• Camp David summit is a series of meetings held at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, USA where world leaders, meet and negotiate agreements with the USA. E.g., The USA, Israel and Egypt negotiated and eventually reached the Camp David Accords in 1978, leading to a peace treaty between the two countries in 1979.

What is the Indo-Pacific?

• The Indo-Pacific is a term used to describe the region encompassing the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean. It’s significant for its geopolitical and economic importance, with several countries, including India, China, and the United States, having strategic interests in the region.

Key points of the United States, Japan, and South Korea summit:

• Repair in Seoul-Tokyo Relations: The trilateral meeting indicates improved relations between South Korea and Japan, recognizing the changing regional security environment.
• Strategic Shift: South Korea’s new strategic thinking suggests a willingness to address the China challenge and engage more actively in the Indo-Pacific.
• Quad Membership: South Korea’s desire to join the Quad grouping may become more feasible, with potential Quad Plus membership in the future.
• Foreign Policy Enthusiasm: President Yoon Suk Yeol aims to make South Korea a “global pivotal state” with increased engagement in the Indo-Pacific.
• For India and South Korea, potential areas of collaboration include political dialogues, defence cooperation, and nuclear energy, leveraging South Korea’s expertise in these fields.
• This partnership aligns with India’s interests in the Indo-Pacific amid growing concerns about China’s intentions and power.

Area of Cooperation	India-South Korea Status	Examples
Political Relations	Strong and friendly	Regular high-level visits: E.g., 2+2 dialogueJoint Commission Meetings: Coordinating India’s ‘Act East Policy’ with South Korea’s ‘New Southern Policy’Strategic Partnership (Upgraded to ‘special strategic partnership’ in 2015 with defence cooperation
Economic & Commercial	Growing trade ties	2022 bilateral trade: Over USD 27 bn (Target: USD 50 bn by 2030)India-South Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) (2010)‘Korea Plus’ initiative to promote Korean Investments in India (joint ventures in electronics, automobiles, and shipbuilding)
Energy	Growing energy cooperation	Civil Nuclear Energy Cooperation (2011)
Defence & Security	Defence cooperation	Joint military exercises – Defence equipment procurementSouth Korea’s evolving strategic outlook and alignment with the U.S., Japan, and Australia make it a valuable partner for India in advancing its interests in the Indo-Pacific.
Cultural Exchanges	Vibrant cultural exchanges	Buddhist Connection“SamgukYusa” text (13th CE) mentions a Princess from Ayodhya marrying a Korean Prince in 48 AD.Cultural festivals showcasing Indian and Korean arts and heritage
People-to-People Ties	Growing	Significant Korean ex-pat community in IndiaGrowing Indian community in South Korea

Read about India- Japan relations in relation to Indo- Pacific, Click here

Practice Questions for Prelims

Which country hosted the Camp David Summit in 2023?
a) Japan
b) South Korea
c) USA
d) UK

Ans. c)

Mains Practice Question

Discuss the geo strategic significance of South Korea in India’s Indo Pacific Strategy.

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