Buddhist ties strengthen India-South Korea diplomacy

A group of 108 Buddhist pilgrims from South Korea will be on a 43-day tour of Buddhist holy sites in India and Nepal from February 9. The walking pilgrimage, which is being organised by the Sangwol Society of South Korea, will cover over 1,100 km and take the tourists to some of the most revered Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, before moving on to Nepal.

The tour, which is set to end on March 23, will include visits to Bodh Gaya, Nalanda University, the Buddha's Relic Stupa Site in Vaishali, the Mahaparinirvana Temple and Ramabhar Stupa in Kushinagar, and the birthplace of the Buddha in Lumbini, Nepal.

"India and Korea have a special connection through Buddhism," said the Ambassador of South Korea to India, Chang Jae-bok in an interview with WION. The ambassador explained that "Buddhism first arrived in Korea from India in the first century, and it eventually became the official religion of the Korean kingdom. This year, we are celebrating the entry of India and South Korea into diplomatic ties, and with the Indian Presidency of the G20, we have a lot to work on to ensure its success."

Chang added that Korea is a leader in soft power, and he is thrilled to see the growing interest among Indian youth in Korean culture, K-pop, and K-dramas. "Through this year, through these pilgrims, and through various cultural events, we aim to strengthen the ties between our two peoples," he said. The pilgrimage is seen as symbolic of the deep spiritual roots that connect the people of India and Korea, and their commitment to enhancing cultural exchange and understanding.

The ambassador also confirmed that his foreign minister Park Jin will be visiting India next month to attend the G20 Foreign ministers meet in Delhi. He said, "Our Foreign minister is coming for the G20 foreign ministers meeting on 1-2nd March".

India is the president of the mega economic grouping and will host the summit in September of this year. The ambassador also expressed confidence in India's ability to effectively lead the G20. He noted, "We hope India's G20 presidency will be successful throughout the year. We are very supportive of India's G20 presidency, and we wish every success for India's presidency."

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