India - Republic of Korea Bilateral Relations (Part 1: Introduction)

India-Republic of Korea (RoK) relations has taken extraordinary steps lately and also has become genuinely multi-faceted, prodded by a critical assembly of interests, shared altruism and significant level trades. Two-sided consular relations were laid out in 1962 which was moved up to Ambassador-level in 1973. In course of time, RoK's open market strategies tracked down reverberation with India's monetary progression furthermore 'Look East Policy' as well as "Act East Policy". Steady Indian help for tranquil reunification of the two Koreas has been generally welcomed in this country.

As indicated by "SamgukYusa" or "The Heritage History of the Three Kingdoms" written in the thirteenth century, a Princess from Ayodhya (Suriratna) came to Korea, wedded Ruler Kim-Suro, and became Queen Hur Hwang-alright in the year 48 AD [wife of previous President Lee Myung-bak (Mrs. Kim Yoon-alright), previous President Kim Dae-jung, previous President Kim Young-sam and previous PM Kim Jong-pil, bury alia, follow their lineage to the illustrious couple]. Korean Buddhist Monk Hyecho (704-787 CE) or Hong Jiao visited India from 723 to 729 AD and composed travelog "Journey to the five realms of India" which gives a striking record of Indian culture, legislative issues and society. The travelog was rediscovered in China in 1908 and was therefore converted into various dialects, including Hindi, under the aegis of UNESCO. The first part is presently claimed by the National Library of France. Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore moreover made a short however suggestive sonnet - 'Light of the East' - in 1929 about Korea's superb past and its promising brilliant future.