South Korea on Thursday agreed to explore possibilities of launching its satellites aboard India's space launch vehicles, according to official sources in Seoul.
External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna suggested such a new trajectory of cooperation when he called on the Republic of Korea (ROK) President Lee Myung-bak at his official residence in Seoul.
Mr. Krishna was referring to the Memorandum of Understanding that the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Korean Aerospace Research Institute signed in January, according to an External Affairs Ministry statement on Thursday's talks. Agreeing with Mr. Krishna, Mr. Lee “asked his officials to do the necessary follow-up,” the statement noted.
The issue, however, acquires unusual importance in the context of Seoul's recent failures to launch its satellites, with Russia's collaboration, from an ROK space facility. Mr. Lee and Mr. Krishna agreed that there was a great deal of potential for civil nuclear cooperation between the two countries, sources told The Hindu . The issue was first discussed during Mr. Lee's visit to India as its Republic Day guest earlier this year. On the recent sinking of the ROK frigate, Cheonan, which Seoul and Washington blamed on North Korea, Mr. Krishna now conveyed to Mr. Lee India's appreciation of the “mature and restrained way” his country had responded, sources said.
The External Affairs Ministry statement said the two leaders emphasised the importance of enhancing people-to-people contacts to bolster the strategic partnership between the two sides.
Mr. Krishna suggested that a bust of Rabindranath Tagore, who had described Korea as the ‘Lamp of the East,' be installed at a prominent place in Seoul. Warmly evincing interest, Mr. Lee said he would make a strong recommendation to the city authorities to identify a suitable location for installing the bust in 2011, Tagore's 150th birth anniversary.
