Penang [Malaysia], June 11 (ANI): Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, P. Kumaran, met with South Korea’s Deputy Minister for Political Affairs, Chung Byung-won, on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit (EAS) Senior Officials’ Meeting in Penang, Malaysia, reaffirming India’s commitment to deepening its Special Strategic Partnership with South Korea.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Secretary Kumaran extended warm congratulations to Deputy Minister Chung on the successful conclusion of South Korea’s recent presidential elections. The two sides discussed avenues to strengthen bilateral ties and inject renewed momentum into their strategic cooperation.
The MEA posted on X:
“Secretary (East) P. Kumaran met Mr. Chung Byung-won, Deputy Minister of Political Affairs, MoFA of Republic of Korea, on the sidelines of East Asia Summit Senior Officials’ Meeting at Penang, Malaysia. Secretary (East) congratulated Deputy Minister on the successfully-conducted Presidential elections in RoK, and discussed ways to strengthen India-South Korea Special Strategic Partnership and impart renewed momentum to the bilateral agenda.”
The meeting was part of a broader diplomatic engagement at the EAS Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) held on June 10 and 11, and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Senior Officials’ Meeting on June 11, hosted under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in Penang.
These meetings brought together senior officials from the EAS and ARF member nations. They were chaired by Dato’ Sri Amran Mohamed Zin, Secretary General of Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the EAS SOM, Secretary Kumaran emphasized the importance of the leader-led EAS platform in maintaining peace, stability, and security in the Indo-Pacific region. He underscored the alignment between India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI) and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), noting shared goals and mutual support.
Secretary Kumaran also extended invitations to EAS participating countries for key events being hosted by India, including:
The EAS Knowledge Exchange Workshop on Energy Efficiency Policies and Programs under Mission LiFE
The Conclave of EAS Heads of Higher Education Institutions at Nalanda University
He reiterated India’s commitment to ASEAN-led regional mechanisms and the critical role of EAS and ARF in building trust, promoting regional dialogue, and shaping the Indo-Pacific’s emerging architecture.
In his remarks at the forum, he also expressed India’s serious concerns over state-sponsored terrorism, referencing the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. He highlighted that India’s response under Operation Sindoor was “measured, non-escalatory, proportionate, and responsible.”
These engagements are part of India’s sustained diplomatic outreach to reinforce regional cooperation and address shared security and development challenges through multilateral forums. (ANI)
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