India and South Korea signed a “historic” civil nuclear cooperation agreement on 25 July, paving the way for the possibility of Seoul exporting its atomic power plants. South Korea has now become the ninth country which had signed nuclear agreement with India after it got the waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG) in 2008. The other countries are the United States, France, Russia, Canada, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Argentina and Namibia.
The agreement, signed after summit talks between President Pratibha Patil and her South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-bak, provides legal ground for South Korea’s participation in atomic power plant construction projects in India. It is like other civil nuclear agreements signed between India and other countries.
Historic Agreement
Lee termed the nuclear cooperation agreement as “historic” and will act as “a milestone, demonstrating that our two countries have now truly become strategic partners.”
During the talks, Lee called for support for South Korea's efforts to make inroads into India's atomic power plant market, the statement said.
India is currently building six nuclear power plants and plans to construct around 40 more by 2032, while South Korea seeks to become a major exporter of its home-built nuclear power plants.
The state-run Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) signed a memorandum of understanding in 2009 with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited.
Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy
South Korea has now become the ninth country which had signed nuclear agreement with India after it got the waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG) in 2008. The other countries are the US, France, Russia, Canada, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Argentina and Namibia. The two countries have just concluded and signed a bilateral agreement on cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Both India and South Korea decided to start talks on civil nuclear cooperation during a meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Lee on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Hanoi in October 2010.
The nuclear agreement was signed by Dr Srikumar Banerjee, Secretary Department of Atomic Energy and Kim Sung Hwan, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea.
Earlier, Patil and her South Korean counterpart Lee held a 20-minute restrictive meeting followed by delegation-level talks for over an hour at the ‘Blue House’, official residence of the Korean President. Patil is on a week-long tour of Korea and Mongolia.
Opportunities Emerging From New Economic Avenues
In addition to the agreement on nuclear cooperation, the two sides also signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on media exchanges and another agreement on administrative arrangements to provide social security to people working in India and Korea.
Speaking at a banquet hosted by Lee in her honor, Patil said India would work with South Korea to enhance trade relations and tap investments opportunities emerging from new economic avenues.
She also called for greater people-to-people contacts between the two countries and cooperation in the UN.
Korean President Lee expressed hope that Patil’s visit will give a fillip to bilateral ties. “I firmly believe that Your Excellency’s visit will generate further momentum for the deepening of our cooperation,” he said.
Both presidents agreed to encourage greater people-to-people exchanges and stressed to start more direct flights between India and South Korea.
Forging Bilateral Ties
The pact provides legal ground for South Korea’s participation in atomic power plant construction projects in India
The two sides also signed MoUs on media exchanges and on administrative arrangements to provide social security to people working in India and Korea
The agreement, signed after summit talks between President Pratibha Patil and her South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-bak, provides legal ground for South Korea’s participation in atomic power plant construction projects in India. It is like other civil nuclear agreements signed between India and other countries.
Historic Agreement
Lee termed the nuclear cooperation agreement as “historic” and will act as “a milestone, demonstrating that our two countries have now truly become strategic partners.”
During the talks, Lee called for support for South Korea's efforts to make inroads into India's atomic power plant market, the statement said.
India is currently building six nuclear power plants and plans to construct around 40 more by 2032, while South Korea seeks to become a major exporter of its home-built nuclear power plants.
The state-run Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) signed a memorandum of understanding in 2009 with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited.
Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy
South Korea has now become the ninth country which had signed nuclear agreement with India after it got the waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG) in 2008. The other countries are the US, France, Russia, Canada, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Argentina and Namibia. The two countries have just concluded and signed a bilateral agreement on cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
Both India and South Korea decided to start talks on civil nuclear cooperation during a meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Lee on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Hanoi in October 2010.
The nuclear agreement was signed by Dr Srikumar Banerjee, Secretary Department of Atomic Energy and Kim Sung Hwan, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea.
Earlier, Patil and her South Korean counterpart Lee held a 20-minute restrictive meeting followed by delegation-level talks for over an hour at the ‘Blue House’, official residence of the Korean President. Patil is on a week-long tour of Korea and Mongolia.
Opportunities Emerging From New Economic Avenues
In addition to the agreement on nuclear cooperation, the two sides also signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on media exchanges and another agreement on administrative arrangements to provide social security to people working in India and Korea.
Speaking at a banquet hosted by Lee in her honor, Patil said India would work with South Korea to enhance trade relations and tap investments opportunities emerging from new economic avenues.
She also called for greater people-to-people contacts between the two countries and cooperation in the UN.
Korean President Lee expressed hope that Patil’s visit will give a fillip to bilateral ties. “I firmly believe that Your Excellency’s visit will generate further momentum for the deepening of our cooperation,” he said.
Both presidents agreed to encourage greater people-to-people exchanges and stressed to start more direct flights between India and South Korea.
Forging Bilateral Ties
The pact provides legal ground for South Korea’s participation in atomic power plant construction projects in India
The two sides also signed MoUs on media exchanges and on administrative arrangements to provide social security to people working in India and Korea
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