India, South Korea summit meet to discuss nuclear pact

President Lee Myung-bak

New Delhi/Chennai: India and South Korea are set to negotiate a bilateral civil nuclear pact and also formalise agreements in a number of areas, including IT and space technology, in the course of formal interactions with visiting South Korean president Lee Myung-bak. The president is currently on a four-day visit to the country and is the guest of honour for the nation's 26 January Republic Day celebrations.

The South Korean president and Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh will meet for talks on Monday. The talks are expected to cover a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues, including enhancing economic ties and cooperation particularly in the sphere of civil nuclear cooperation and space technologies.

A member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, South Korea had extended support at this international forum for an exemption in existing rules to allow resumption of global civil nuclear trade with India. The crucial meet at Vienna was held in September last year.

India has already signed civil nuclear pacts with seven countries - the US, France, Russia, Kazakhstan, Namibia, Argentina and Mongolia and will shortly sign another one with Canada this year.

The South Korean nuclear technology industry is currently on a high after securing $20.4 billion contract to build four 1,400-MW civilian nuclear power units in the UAE. A south Korean consortium beat out competing American and French companies for the contract.

The two leaders are also expected to discuss cooperation in combating global financial recession. South Korea will host a G20 summit in Seoul later this year.