Korean President Park Geun-Hye calls Narendra Modi, hopes for expansion of strategic ties

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today spoke to Korean President Park Geun-Hye, who called and expressed confidence that the Strategic Partnership between India and Korea will expand in all areas under his leadership.

The Korean leader also congratulated Modi on his victory in the general elections and recalled with appreciation his association with Korea as Chief Minister of Gujarat.

President Park invited the Prime Minister to pay an early visit to Korea, which was accepted by him, an official release said.

Modi thanked President Park for her warm felicitations and hoped to work together with her and the Korean government for the common interest and benefit of the two countries.

"Prime Minister welcomed greater economic engagement between the two countries and hoped to achieve more substantive and all-round progress in our partnership in the years to come," the release said.

Park thanked India for its gift of a sapling of the sacred Bodhi tree and for the Visa-on-Arrival facility extended by India to Korean nationals following her visit to India in January 2014.

She expressed support and appreciation for India's role and standing in world affairs and in the international community.