India keen to send English teachers, yoga instructors to Korea

NEW DELHI: India has sought opportunities for its English teachers and yoga instructors in South Korea as the two countries upgrade the existing free trade agreement.

The issue came up at a recent meeting of the trade ministers of the two countries in Seoul where Korea explained that Koreans themselves are learning yoga and hence the need for other countries' services is reduced.

On the issue of Indian teachers teach under the English Program in Korea (EPIK) initiative, Seoul said that those eligible to teach English there must be a citizen of a country where English is the primary language and India doesn't figure in the that list.

"Both the sides want to upgrade the existing agreement. We have exchanged request lists which are under discussions to widen the scope of the pact," said an official.

Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu and his South Korean counterpart Hyun Chong Kim also agreed to cooperate in the fields of standardisation and conformity assessment and developing mutual recognition agreements in the review meeting of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.

The two countries are also looking at increasing trade in services sector besides enhancing cooperation in renewable energy such as solar power, as per the official.